Argentina go into tomorrow’s clash with Egypt off the back of a perfect record — four wins from four — but Lionel Scaloni made clear on the eve of the match that comfort is the last thing on his mind. Between confirming a key return to the XI and addressing how his side plans to nullify Mohamed Salah, the coach struck a tone of quiet vigilance rather than celebration.
Paredes Is Back
The headline team news is the return of Leandro Paredes to the base of midfield. Scaloni confirmed the No. 5 will start against Egypt, ending the run of games in which Alexis Mac Allister had filled in there.
“Leandro arrived at the World Cup injured, and that’s why Alexis has played as the No. 5,” Scaloni explained. “After the World Cup, Leandro has almost always played there. He made a huge effort to be here, and we believe the ideal backup for him was Alexis, knowing he can also play a bit higher up and does it very well. Leandro is 100% ready and will play tomorrow.”
Scaloni left no doubt about where he rates his midfielder when fit: “When Leandro Paredes is fit, he’s one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. I have no doubts about that.”
That comment also closed the door on any suggestion of an alternative reshuffle. Scaloni had already hinted that Enzo Fernández isn’t being considered for the role, noting simply that Enzo “played in a more advanced role for his club” this season — a sign that Paredes, not Enzo, is viewed as the long-term answer at the base of the midfield.
According to reports from the Argentina camp, the changes to the XI won’t stop there. Argentina are expected to make at least three alterations to the side that beat Cape Verde: Paredes in for Almada, Tagliafico replacing Medina at left-back, and Julián Álvarez coming in for Lautaro Martínez up front.
The Salah Problem
Much of Scaloni’s pre-match focus centered on containing Egypt’s talisman. “Mohamed Salah is a great player. It’ll be a pleasure to face him,” Scaloni said, before outlining the collective approach Argentina intend to take. “We’ve always prepared collectively to deal with players like him.”
More specifically, Scaloni pointed to the kind of defensive lapses that let Cape Verde hurt Argentina on the counter as the exact scenario to avoid. “The idea is to avoid the kind of transitions Cape Verde had, where they got forward and hurt us. We’re a team that defends by keeping the ball, and that’s what we’re focused on.”
It’s a philosophy rooted in control rather than a man-marking job on Salah individually — Scaloni’s answer to a dangerous counter-attacking threat is to deny Egypt the ball in the first place.
An Honest Assessment
For a team that hasn’t dropped a point, Scaloni was strikingly measured — even critical — when asked to grade his side’s tournament so far. “Our level has been acceptable. We’ve won all four matches, but there’s always room to improve,” he said. “We could play better, just like other teams. I don’t think any team is playing complete football right now.”
He widened the lens to the tournament as a whole, arguing that no contender has hit its pre-World Cup peak. “This World Cup has been difficult for everyone. No national team has been able to consistently play at the level they showed before the tournament. France struggled against Paraguay, Spain struggled against Portugal. The opponents play too, and the conditions are different from previous World Cups.” Even so, he added, “there are still four or five favorites, but even they haven’t been playing as well as they did before the World Cup.”
Resilience Over Perfection
If there was a unifying thread through Scaloni’s press conference, it was character over aesthetics. “We’ve always been the team on the front foot. Our mistakes never knocked us down, and we kept attacking. That’s an important sign,” he said.
He was candid about matches not always going to plan tactically. “Sometimes tactics go out the window. When you can’t play the way you want, you have to find another way. This team has that mentality built into it, and that gives me peace of mind.” He added: “Even when we don’t play well, these players always show character.”
That same collective spirit shaped the team’s preparation this week. “We had several talks with the players. Yesterday we spoke about Egypt. We discussed how to face this opponent. They are a different rival, and we know we can’t lose our identity. We focused on what we believe the team needs to be the team we all know.”
What to Expect
With Paredes restored to shield the back line, Tagliafico bringing fresh legs at left-back, and Álvarez likely leading the line in place of Lautaro, Argentina look set to tweak personnel while keeping their core defensive principle unchanged: control the ball, deny the transition, and trust a group that Scaloni insists has character to spare — whatever the scoreline demands.
Read the full match preview here.
