According to Argentine newspaper La Nación, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni held a press conference following the friendly match in which Argentina defeated Burkina Faso 7-0. He acknowledged that he would prefer his team to play against stronger opponents, but stressed that opponent strength is not the only criterion for assessing the value of a match.

As expected, Argentina not only capitalized on their overall superiority over Burkina Faso but also benefited to some extent from the opponent's lengthy travel schedule and their decision to field younger players who were not part of their regular squad. Under these circumstances, Lionel Scaloni led Argentina to a decisive 7-0 victory over their opponents at River Plate's home ground, the Monumental Stadium, securing their second friendly win during this international break. The Argentine players, at their coach's request, showed respect for their opponents and played with genuine intensity. Nevertheless, Scaloni acknowledged that he would have preferred to face a stronger team. In his post-match press conference, he thanked the Burkina Faso players for their effort and spoke about the significant moment approaching on Tuesday—Lionel Messi's farewell match with Argentina.

Regarding the match, Lionel Scaloni said: "The first half was very good. We played with genuine intensity. In the second half, we gave more playing time to younger players, and some of them had the opportunity to play for Argentina for the first time. We need to give them time to gradually integrate into the team, but overall, we achieved our objectives."

Scaloni further explained that had the score been closer, Julián Álvarez and Nicolás González, who played at right-back and left-back respectively, would not have been deployed in those positions. He said: "But we wanted them to play because they have been involved with the team all along."

Additionally, Scaloni clarified that Argentina made 11 substitutions in this match, but this would not affect the game's status as an official A-level international friendly. He explained: "There is a rule that allows up to 11 substitutions if FIFA is notified in advance and the opposing team agrees, and the match still counts as an official A-level international. We specifically confirmed this. Otherwise, imagine what would happen... We did this to also allow banned players to serve their suspensions." Scaloni was referring to Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina, two players who were suspended by FIFA for their actions in the World Cup final match that Argentina lost to Spain.

Scaloni spoke about Tuesday's friendly against Benin, in which Lionel Messi will play his farewell match for Argentina and receive special recognition.

Scaloni said: "I think, first of all, everyone will feel very emotional, including Leo himself. The moment he steps onto the Monumental, the atmosphere will be different. For everyone, it will be a memorable day. I feel grateful to be part of it. It will be his day and also his teammates' day—the day of those who brought him the greatest joy in his football career: the group of players who won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They deserve such a moment. We will play this match seriously. If circumstances allow, we could still have two more training sessions with him. We must truly appreciate him, cherish and enjoy the little time we have together."

Scaloni said that if there were five Monumental stadiums, all five would be filled with fans. He said: "People from all over are sending me messages, and I can barely keep up. I can't tell them one by one how difficult it is to get tickets right now."

Speaking about Messi's impending farewell from the national team, Scaloni explained what he will miss most: "What remains now is to enjoy all of this. What will stay with us afterward is the feeling of missing him that we always talk about, because from now on, he won't be here anymore. It's not just about football. Ultimately, we still have to keep playing. But the feeling of him being on the pitch is unique. This is what I hope people understand—what he communicates on the football field, whether to opponents, teammates, opposing fans, or our own fans. Everyone can feel this influence. I've never seen such quality in any other player. This is what we will miss the most. The Argentina national team will continue to exist, but certainly, things will never be the same."

Scaloni spoke about the legacy Messi has left for Argentina. He said: "He always wanted to play for the national team, always wanted to play for the team. Sometimes he knew that even if he didn't come, it wouldn't matter because the team might advance or have already won. But he still wanted to participate. He is an incredible example. He is always the first to arrive and the last to leave. The way he takes care of his body, the way he approaches each match—these are all things to learn from. People see only the results on the pitch and know he is a genius, but behind those results, there are many things that only teammates can see. He is the best example we could have. He has left an incomparable legacy, or rather, he is still leaving these things because he still has one more match to play."

Regarding the friendly against Burkina Faso, Scaloni specially praised the team's attitude, stating that it reflected what he demands from his players in the dressing room. He said: "Throughout the match, we never showed any complacency. Nobody thought they could play carelessly just because we were ahead. This is what I truly demand from the players. Because for us, playing a match like this, there is only something to lose and little to gain. We cannot show any slackness. People paid for tickets, so we must respect these fans, respect our opponents, and respect the national team shirt. Whether we play well or not is another matter. As a national team player, sometimes you face matches that aren't particularly exciting, and sometimes you face matches that are very exciting. But no matter who the opponent is, we must play with the same attitude."

Scaloni spoke about the international break in November and Argentina's difficulty in securing high-level opponents during that period. He acknowledged: "If we could choose our own opponents, the situation might be different, because I would like us to play against strong teams."

However, Scaloni expressed a different perspective on the idea of judging friendly matches solely by opponent strength. He said: "Previously, we didn't play against teams considered world superpowers, but we were still able to compete at the highest level. And the matches that have given us the most problems are against teams that theoretically aren't strong. So this is a relative matter." Scaloni was referring to the 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Cape Verde in which Argentina narrowly won 3-2.

Additionally, Scaloni spoke about Julián Álvarez, whose form has declined recently. Although the striker scored against Burkina Faso, his previous performances have not been as good as expected. On this matter, Scaloni said: "If we can help Simone and Atlético Madrid, that's great, but Julián Álvarez will not disappoint us."

Scaloni thanked the Burkina Faso players once more for traveling to Argentina to play the friendly and for departing early Sunday morning, saying their action "upheld the dignity of football."

Scaloni spoke about his contract renewal with the Argentine Football Association, clearly stating that if he ultimately decides to extend with AFA, it will be because he still has enough energy to continue coaching the team.

Scaloni said: "Nobody is holding a gun to my head, forcing me to continue coaching the team. I have always valued what Carlos Bilardo said in the past, and I remember conversations I had with Alejandro Sabella's wife. I feel I am trying to live authentically, and I use them as examples. Living happily is very important because the position of national team coach means great responsibility, but I still live my own life. Only then will this job not completely consume me. Otherwise, I would become its slave. I don't want to confine myself to a football office, completely isolated from the outside world."

Finally, Scaloni spoke about the most important takeaway from this international break. He said: "In these two matches, we won 4-0 against Bolivia and 7-0 against Burkina Faso. Besides giving many young players their first opportunity to play for the national team, what we gained most was the connection we built with the fans."

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