In the agonizing 3-1 victory of the Argentine National Team against Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, there was a moment not seen on television but that exploded on social media: Lionel Scaloni’s reaction to Julián Álvarez’s goal. While the players hugged and the fans went wild, the coach stood perplexed, almost motionless, staring at the play. True to his style, he did not celebrate like the rest, but processed the emotional blow in silence.
The video, which quickly went viral, shows Scaloni with a lost gaze, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just seen. The «Spider» Álvarez had unleashed a spectacular shot that drove the ball into an impossible angle, unleashing madness in the stadium. But the coach, champion of everything, remained serene, measured, without externalizing the happiness that, as he confessed, he carries inside.
«I celebrate in my own way, inside I am happy, but I always say that these are moments that one thinks about doing,» Scaloni explained in the past. And he added: «What I do in the moment is how I feel it, but yes, I am happy. What happens is that sometimes you see things that are not normal and you stay thinking like saying: ‘This cannot be happening.'»
The image of an impassive Scaloni is now part of the identity of the Argentine National Team. While the footballers explode with every goal and the fans live on the edge, the coach builds a figure of serenity that sparks all kinds of speculation. Even in the most transcendental moments, like the goal that guided the Albiceleste towards the semifinals, he prefers to stay on the bench, processing what happens.
Asked about his superstitions, Scaloni revealed that his only ritual before each match is to enter the field with his right foot and cross himself. «I enter with my right foot and make the sign of the cross, I think it could be a superstition,» he said. But he ruled out any ritual related to goals. He simply lives those moments in a different way.
Now, Argentina prepares for the World Cup semifinal, which will be played on Wednesday, July 15 at 4:00 PM (Argentine time) in Atlanta. The rival will be England, and the team must win in the 90 minutes of regulation or, in case of a tie, decide in two 15-minute extra periods. Scaloni, true to his style, is already thinking about the next match, but undoubtedly the image of his reaction to Álvarez’s goal will be etched in the memory of the fans.
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q manera de romperla julian ese gol pero scaloni no festeja ni loco es un tipo serio noma no como estos zurdos de mierda q saltan como nenas para mi los q critican son los mismos q nunca jugaron a la pelota vamos argentina carajo
Para mí esto es una opereta de los medios vendidos. Scaloni no baila porque está reventado de laburar, no es un payaso para la gilada. Dejen de romper las pelotas con reacciones y miren el partido, che. Esto huele a querer generar bardo para tapar la miseria que nos dejan los políticos.