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Scaloni Admits Tough Task as Argentina Begin World Cup Defence Challenge

Published

3 hours ago

June 11, 2026

Lionel Scaloni says defending the World Cup is difficult as Argentina prepare to begin their title defence against Algeria at the 2026 tournament

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has admitted that defending the FIFA World Cup title will be a difficult task as the reigning champions prepare to begin their campaign against Algeria on June 17.

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The South American giants lifted their third World Cup title in Qatar after defeating France on penalties in the 2022 final, a victory that ended a long wait for global glory.

Since that triumph, Argentina have maintained an impressive run of form, losing only four matches across friendlies, the 2024 Copa America and 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The team has also won their last five matches, including a dominant 3-0 victory over Iceland, a result that has strengthened confidence ahead of the tournament in North America.

Their consistent performances in recent fixtures have also seen them rise to the top of the latest FIFA world rankings, underlining their status as one of the favourites heading into the competition.

Speaking after the win over Iceland, Scaloni acknowledged the difficulty of retaining the trophy, stressing that the challenge demands maximum commitment from his squad.

“It is quite challenging to claim that we will win the World Cup again, as it is very difficult; however, I can assure you that these players will give their all on the pitch. We will strive until the very end,” he said.

Argentina have been drawn in Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and Jordan as they aim to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups.

Despite their strong form, statistical projections by Opta place Argentina as fourth favourites for the tournament, with a 10.5 percent chance of lifting the trophy.