Lionel Scaloni is, without a doubt, one of the best coaches of the decade and of the present, just by looking at the immediate impact he had with Argentina. And because of that, he has drawn interest from the biggest club in the history of soccer, Real Madrid, but it would happen after the 2026 World Cup, and part of his contract could be a key factor to take into account.
According to a report attributed to El Partidazo de COPE, the club has already made direct contact with the current Argentina head coach to explore a possible future arrival. And something that could work in his favor is that Scaloni already lives in Spain since his retirement as a player, where he built his family. He currently lives with his wife and children in El Toro.
The information points out that the Madrid president is reviewing different alternatives for the head coach position, and Scaloni’s name has entered that list due to the weight of his work with Argentina. But there is something that could change the course, and it’s his contract.
Scaloni’s camp position
There is also the other side of the story, according to the Argentine outlet TYC Sports. Despite the mention that he was supposedly already in talks with the club, from Scaloni’s camp, they strongly deny having made contact with the board of the institution led by Florentino Perez.
Lionel Scaloni, Head Coach of Argentina
There is also the factor of Scaloni’s contract. The president of AFA, Tapia, offered to extend his deal, and the coach himself showed his intention to continue, but for now, there have been no talks about numbers or length. The most likely scenario is that there will be advanced talks after the 2026 World Cup. It is worth noting that his contract runs until mid this year, that is, until the end of the World Cup.
Does Scaloni want to coach a club?
In June 2025, Scaloni himself acknowledged receiving offers, but he is still not convinced about having his first experience in charge of a club. “I am not convinced about coaching a club, I would like to, but I do not know in the short term. All those messages, you have to see if they are true, that is why I do not answer and let them pass,” he said.
In that sense, Scaloni left the door open to what could happen once the 2026 World Cup is over, the last tournament in his current contract with the national team:
“After the World Cup we will see. My focus is on the national team. The world of soccer is complicated and sometimes it is not good to get into those things. In my case I know that I am here until the World Cup. There are many people around offering you things… from there to it being true. It is not convenient because it distracts you,” the 47-year-old made clear.
