Scaloni: No clear favorite has dominated the World Cup

Argentina's national team coach, Lionel Scaloni, believes that no single favorite has truly dominated the 2026 World Cup. He observed that all major contenders have faced significant challenges, either due to the strong performance of their opponents or the difficult conditions of the tournament itself. "I think this World Cup is being complicated for everyone. There is no single favorite team," Scaloni stated in a press conference.

Scaloni pointed to recent matches involving other top teams as evidence. "The other day it seemed like France was a fearsome opponent. And it still is, but it struggled against Paraguay. Now we saw Spain with Portugal, which I think they won well, but they also struggled until the last minute," he commented, referencing closely fought Round of 16 victories.

The coach attributed this parity to the high level of play from technically inferior rivals and the unique "conditions" of this World Cup. These include long travel distances between venues, short rest periods due to an increased number of participants, and hydration breaks that affect match rhythm.

Despite the overall parity, Scaloni deemed Argentina's performance thus far as "acceptable." The team has secured four victories, which he considers a reason for satisfaction. He particularly highlighted the "grit and commitment" shown by his players, especially in a hard-fought extra-time win in the Round of 32 against Cape Verde. "I was convinced that if the team hadn't shown that temperament the other day, we would have been eliminated for sure," Scaloni said, reflecting on the importance of passion and determination in difficult games.