Lionel Scaloni broke down in tears during his post-match press conference after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat – then returned home to find fans camping on his lawn, blocking his way to the dentist.
The Argentina manager, 48, left the news conference in tears on Sunday when talking about his future following the 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain in New Jersey. Ferran Torres’s late goal gave Spain the trophy, crushing Argentina’s bid to defend the title they had won four years ago.
“Scaloni wept after World Cup final defeat, then faced fan mob blocking his dentist trip.”
But when Scaloni arrived back in the town of Pujato, near Rosario, he was greeted like a conquering hero – not a losing finalist. Supporters had even set up camp on his garden lawn. Footage that went viral showed Scaloni being ushered through the crowd by security, high-fiving children as adults clamoured for a moment with him.
“I have a dentist appointment,” he told the adoring fans. “I will be back soon.”
His family later put a note on the front door that read: “Leo left last night!!! Thanks for all the love.” According to reports, Scaloni had come out of his house every afternoon to greet the fans, signing autographs and posing for selfies.
The reception stunned social media. “It’s as though they won the World Cup. Massive love,” one user posted on X. “Best manager in their history,” another concluded on Reddit. A third said: “Nice guy for doing all that for the fans. It seems overwhelming though, to have so many people surrounding him all the time.” One user agreed: “Bro literally can’t go home without being hounded. That’s gotta feel insane.”
Scaloni has now left Pujato. On Monday he posted a statement on Instagram, writing: “After an intense week where sadness intertwined with joy, tears with smiles, anguish with tranquillity, and nerves with calm, I can finally sit down to write a few words. All I can say is I’m sorry I couldn’t bring home another trophy and give you a new reason to celebrate.”
The former West Ham defender had led Argentina to three consecutive tournament victories before this summer. The defeat in the final has left the nation heartbroken – but for their manager, the love from his people has clearly not diminished.
