The Argentine Football Association’s president appeared to confirm today that Lionel Scaloni has committed to continue as head coach of the Argentine team.

In an interview with radio La Red, Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia said he and Scaloni are “committed to keep on going together”, and that they will sign a contract once the coach comes to Argentina.

“That’s going very well,” Tapia said about Lionel ‘Gringo’ Scaloni’s continuity when asked the question “the whole country is asking”. “When ‘Gringo’ comes back from his family holidays, we will sit down and finish what needs to be finished”, he added. 

Neither Scaloni nor the AFA had made any formal announcements at the time of writing.

While Scaloni’s contract is not yet signed, Tapia was confident the head coach will remain in post leading the Argentine team. “We’re both men of our words and we gave our word to each other,” said Tapia, who mentioned some “minor issues” as the only thing left to solve. “I know that as soon as he comes he will sign his contract, and the coaching team that gave us so much joy will continue, because it’s what everybody wants and it’s what we committed to, both Gringo and me: to continue together and continue this project,” he added.  

When asked to what degree was Scaloni’s continuity a sure thing, from 1 to 10, he laughed and said: “we always carry the number 10 on us”.  

Scaloni –who led the team in a record streak of 36 undefeated matches, the Copa America, the Finalissima, and the World Cup–  still hasn’t confirmed nor denied his continuity: “That will come eventually, but there are other things that are more important,” he said last Monday in an interview with Spanish radio show El Partidazo de Cope. “I hope I’ll sit down with the president [of AFA] when I go back to Buenos Aires. I have a great relationship with him and I thank him for the opportunity he gave me. I will soon announce whatever I have to announce,” he stated.