Scaloni one step away from Bilardo for most WC games at the helm for Argentina

Atlanta, July 14 (IANS) With Argentina’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup semifinals after the victory over Switzerland, Lionel Scaloni broke records once again to solidify his place among the most important managers in the history of the national team.

The match against Switzerland marked Scaloni’s thirteenth World Cup game at the helm of the national team, a record that surpassed Cesar Luis Menotti, the 1978 World Cup champion, who had managed 12 World Cup matches.

Now, Scaloni aiming to surpass Carlos Salvador Bilardo, the only coach ahead of him with 14 games.

With qualification for the semifinals, Argentina is guaranteed two more matches, the semifinal and the final or the third-place match, meaning Scaloni will become the coach with the most matches managed for the Argentine national team in World Cup history.

Moreover, Scaloni’s tenure boasts another statistic that speaks to his stature: he remains undefeated against European teams, with a record of seven wins and three draws.

With two Copa America titles, a Finalissima appearance, a World Cup, and another World Cup semifinal under his belt, Scaloni continues to expand a legacy that already occupies a privileged place in the history of the Argentine national team and that still has new chapters to be written at the 2026 World Cup.

France and Spain will face off this Tuesday in one of the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at AT&T Stadium in Dallas and will be officiated by Salvadoran referee Iván Barton. The winner will secure the first spot in the tournament final.

For the third time in the last four World Cups, Argentina will compete in the semifinals, an unprecedented feat for the national team in the modern era, achieved only consecutively by France over the same period.

They will take on England for the first time in more than 20 years when they meet in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals on Thursday.

—IANS

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