Scaloni denies knowledge of Messi halftime speech rumors, dismisses team conflict questions

Published Jul 21, 02:41 PM UTC

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni, upon returning to Argentina after losing the World Cup final, was confronted by reporters at the airport. He repeatedly denied any knowledge of social media rumors regarding a halftime speech by Lionel Messi in the final, stating he does not look at social media and is unaware of the claims. When pressed about team unity and internal conflicts, Scaloni expressed disbelief at the line of questioning and ended the discussion. He also deflected questions about a Malvinas flag controversy, claiming no information on the matter. Scaloni confirmed he will return to the national team training base in September and plans to spend time with his family in the interim.