Scaloni's Method: Psychologist Explains Leadership Secrets Behind Argentina's Football Success

A new documentary series, "El método Scaloni," explores the leadership and psychological approach of Argentine national football team coach Lionel Scaloni. The series, available on Flow, features Scaloni and key players from the Qatar World Cup-winning squad sharing intimate details and insights.

“

Passion for football is a legacy from my father, along with my love for Lanús. I was always struck by how emotions and commotions unfolded around what happened on the field. Over time, I began studying the phenomenon from a social psychology perspective, analyzing and interpreting football as a clinical laboratory to understand processes of leadership, conflict, and identification.

Fabián Jalife, a social psychologist and sociologist, created the series. He explained that his passion for football, inherited from his father and linked to his love for the Lanús club, led him to study the sport through the lens of social psychology. He views football as a "clinical laboratory" for understanding leadership, conflict, and identification processes.

Jalife's initial hypothesis for studying Scaloni was that sustained extraordinary results cannot be accidental. He aimed to uncover the logic behind the team's success, discovering a complex set of principles, values, and behaviors that foster a strong team culture over time. The project involved extensive collaboration with Scaloni and his coaching staff, as well as players like Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez, Emiliano Martínez, Leandro Paredes, and Ángel Di María.

“

My initial hypothesis was very simple: when a group sustains extraordinary results for several years, it cannot be by chance. We were driven to try to discover the logic behind that functioning. What's interesting is that we initially looked for a formula and ended up finding something much more complex: a set of principles, values, and behaviors that are sustained over time and ultimately generate a culture.

Jalife noted that his prior work with Scaloni facilitated access to the coach, who then enthusiastically supported the project and helped connect Jalife with the rest of the team. The willingness of the players to participate openly and with complicity provided Jalife with an early indication of Scaloni's leadership style.

“

It so happens that we met Scaloni during a previous job, and that prior contact allowed us to reach him. When we told him about our interest in trying to discover the keys to the 'method,' he became very enthusiastic about the idea, and he was the facilitator who allowed us to reach the others. Everyone joined with great predisposition, and that gave us a first sign of his leadership.