Argentina with manager Lionel Scaloni will eye their third World Cup title at Qatar 2022. So ahead of the tournament, HITC Football looks back at his brief career at West Ham United.
Scaloni has stood at the Albiceleste helm since he replaced Jorge Sampaoli in August 2018. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) turned to the 44-year-old after sacking Sampaoli upon crashing out of the last World Cup. France beat Argentina 4-3 in the last 16 in Russia.
La Albiceleste had only just crept through to the knockout stages as runners-up in Group D to defeated finalists Croatia. Iceland held Sampaoli’s squad to a 1-1 draw and Vatreni put a 3-0 win on the board. It left Argentina having to beat Nigeria and they, only just, did at 2-1.
Marcos Rojo scored an 86th-minute winner for Argentina to beat Nigeria and make the last 16 at Russia 2018. Lionel Messi had broken the deadlock earlier in the game before Victor Moses replied from the penalty spot. Yet France were too much on their route to the title.
Who is Argentina’s manager at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Lionel Scaloni?
Argentina swiftly sacked Sampaoli after crashing out of the last World Cup and appointed Scaloni as their new manager. The AFA promoted the Pujato native from within as he was Sampaoli’s number two. Scaloni also served as La Albiceleste’s U20s manager during 2018.
Taking up the Argentina hot seat was Scaloni’s first position as a manager in his career. He had previously acted as Sampaoli’s assistant at Sevilla during the 2016/17 campaign before following the 62-year-old to the international scene. But not once had he held the reigns.
Sampaoli offered Scaloni his first position in coaching at any level as his right-hand man at Sevilla. The current incumbent of the Argentina hot seat had only retired from playing with Atalanta in 2015. He was out of the game for just one year after playing for two decades.
Which clubs did Lionel Scaloni play for during his 21-year career?
Scaloni emerged from the academy at CA Newell’s Old Boys in 1994 but he only spent two years in the first-team. Club Estudiantes de La Plata raided the Rosario outfit for the right-back. Yet only a further season followed in his native Argentina before moving to Europe.
Deportivo de la Coruna handed Scaloni his chance to prove his skill in Europe in 1997. The defender proved to be a valuable addition for Os Branquiazuis, too, as he stuck around for nine years. His Estadio Municipal de Riazor career ended after a loan spell with West Ham.
Alan Pardew secured a deal to hire Scaloni for the rest of the Premier League season in the winter 2006 market. The Hammers had to beat the deadline to get his switch over the line. But they would not seek a permanent move in the summer as he joined Racing Santander.
Scaloni continued to bounce around Europe in the years to follow with a move to Lazio in 2007 before returning to Spain on loan to RCD Mallorca in 2008. He did eventually settle in Rome upon returning to Italy in 2009 and stayed at the Stadio Olimpico through to 2013.
Atalanta eventually ended his Lazio career with a January swoop and called on Scaloni for 18 months. He would then retire in Bergamo and bring the curtain down on a career that had only featured seven Argentina caps. He also only played once at a World Cup in 2006.
Remembering Argentina’s World Cup manager Lionel Scaloni’s brief West Ham career
West Ham opted against pursuing a permanent transfer for Scaloni following his loan from Deportivo de la Coruna despite the now-Argentina manager playing 17 games. He became Pardew’s favoured full-back from February 2006 and kept the role for the rest of the term.
Scaloni only missed one of a potential 14 Premier League matches following his debut at home to Sunderland. He also started each of his English top-flight appearances and played the full 90 minutes 11 times. Pardew also started him in three of his four FA Cup outings.
His efforts helped the Hammers reach the FA Cup final against Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The tie would go all the way to penalties before the Reds edged out the Irons. Scaloni played the full 120 minutes in south Wales but he did not take a spot-kick.
Across Scaloni’s 13 Premier League games, West Ham also recorded four clean sheets. The Irons denied Sunderland, Birmingham City, Manchester City and West Brom. A shut out at Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup fifth-round also marked his third in as many matches.
Lionel Scaloni wanted to return to Upton Park following his six months on loan
While West Ham opted against a permanent transfer for Scaloni in 2006, he had wanted to return to Upton Park. The right-back returned to Deportivo de la Coruna at the end of his loan transfer only to see Os Branquiazuis cancel his contract on the verge of deadline day.
“To play with [Carlos] Tevez and [Javier] Mascherano will be magnificent,” Scaloni said of a return to West Ham at the time, via quotes by Sky Sports. But Pardew had already brought Tyrone Mears, John Paintsil and Jonathan Spector to east London to improve the position.
Mears lasted a season for six games at West Ham between joining from Preston North End and a move to Derby County. Paintsil featured 24 times for the Hammers between signing from Hapoel Tel Aviv and joining Fulham in 2008. Spector would be Pardew’s only success.
Spector switched to east London from Manchester United under Pardew and stayed at the club until 2011. The American’s transfer to Birmingham ended his career in claret-and-blue, which had featured 115 games. He only played more often for the Blues (179) until retiring.
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