Argentina turmoil raises doubts over Messi tribute and Scaloni’s future

Argentina’s football association is facing administrative and financial turmoil that could affect the national team during the next international break, with Lionel Messi unlikely to attend a planned tribute and several leading players potentially absent.

The uncertainty comes about two months after Argentina lost the World Cup final to Spain 1-0. French network RMC reported that the association is in a state of “chaos”, amid allegations from inside and outside Argentina that president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia has been involved in money laundering.

A legal battle is also continuing and appears to be having an impact on the national team.

There is further uncertainty over the coaching staff. Lionel Scaloni’s contract expires on 31 December, and the 48-year-old is believed to feel that his time with Argentina has come to an end.

Scaloni led the country to the 2022 World Cup title and guided them to the final of the latest edition. According to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, he is expected to leave, while several members of his coaching team share the same desire. That could lead to major changes within the national set-up in the coming months.

Messi relationship with association described as tense

Argentina’s next three friendly matches, against Burkina Faso, Bolivia and Benin, will definitely take place without Messi, who has announced his retirement from international football.

The October international break was expected to include a tribute to the Argentina captain, but tensions between Messi and the association have made the event more difficult to arrange.

“There is also a major tribute to Messi on the table, but Leo is not entirely convinced by the idea,” La Gazzetta dello Sport reported. “Relations with the association are tense. Messi feels that he has given the association far too much, not only on the pitch but also away from it, including financially.”

The newspaper also said bonuses owed to the players for their recent performances remained unresolved.

“This is another painful issue: the bonuses allocated to the players for their latest performances are under discussion,” it added. “In more than one part of Argentina, it is being said that the players who reached the World Cup final are creditors of the association, and that the sums owed to the national team players are substantial.”

That dispute could affect player availability for the upcoming international break.

“Taken together, it is understandable why the national team’s stars who play in Europe are not particularly enthusiastic about travelling to Argentina to face three teams whose names begin with the letter B, and are not Brazil,” the Italian newspaper wrote.

A number of key players could therefore miss the matches, including Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez and Alexis Mac Allister, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the Argentina national team.