Walter Samuel is reportedly set to leave Lionel Scaloni's Argentina coaching staff after 2026 to pursue his own head coaching career in Europe. Lionel Scaloni is set to lose one of his longest-serving assistants, as Walter Samuel has already decided to step away from Argentina’s coaching staff once his current cycle wraps up at the end of 2026, according to Gaston Edul of TyC Sports, closing out an eight-year run alongside Scaloni. Edul reported that Samuel’s exit is already resolved internally, with the departure set to take effect once the post-2026 cycle begins. This could turn out to be one of the factors weighing on Scaloni’s own decision about whether to renew his contract with the AFA, which remains unresolved. Edul tied the coach’s continuity to whether he still has the energy and desire to rebuild a team and start a new stage of the project, a rebuild that would now have to happen without one of his most trusted lieutenants regardless of what Scaloni himself decides. Samuel’s departure would mark the end of a partnership that delivered four titles, the 2021 and 2024 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, along with a run to the 2026 World Cup final. Lionel Scaloni and Walter Samuel during a FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier. (Getty Images) Whether or not Scaloni stays on, his technical staff will need to be at least partially rebuilt for whatever comes next, adding one more layer of uncertainty to Argentina‘s post-Messi era. Samuel eyes a head coaching career of his own Samuel’s departure from Argentina isn’t just about closing a chapter, it’s about opening a new one. According to reports, the former defender wants to launch his own career as a head coach once his AFA contract expires, with Europe identified as his preferred destination for a first opportunity in charge of a first team. Before joining Scaloni’s staff in 2018, Samuel already had experience on the touchline, working as an assistant at Inter Milan during the 2016-17 season under Stefano Pioli and Stefano Vecchi, and later as part of Pierluigi Tami’s coaching staff at Switzerland’s FC Lugano. Within the Argentina setup, he became known for his work on the team’s defensive structure and set pieces, a specialty that earned him the trust of Scaloni’s staff throughout an eight-year run that produced four major titles.
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Spain's pursuit to host the 2030 World Cup final is being challenged by Morocco FA, with its president Fouzi Lekjaa naming a 115,000-seat stadium as the venue for the game. Preparations for the 2030 World Cup are already underway, set to feature the first tournament held across six nations, with Spain, Portugal, and Morocco serving as primary co-hosts. However, a high-stakes power struggle has emerged regarding the final venue after Morocco FA president Fouzi Lekjaa identified a planned 115,000-seat facility in Morocco as the target destination. Spanish news agency EFE reported Thursday that Lekjaa, during a political address in Bouznika, Morocco, declared the country would secure the final for the 2030 edition. “The province of Benslimane will have the honor of hosting the 2030 World Cup final,” he said. The proclamation drew immediate pushback from Spanish sports executives, who have long positioned Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabeu as the logical centerpiece for the final match. However, the venue remains unconfirmed, as FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, retains final decision-making authority over tournament match assignments. Morocco have launched an ambitious infrastructure initiative to support their co-hosting duties, anchored by a record-setting stadium project. Benslimane, the municipality highlighted by the Morocco FA president, sits 60 kilometers (37 miles) outside Casablanca and will house Hassan II Stadium, a $1 billion USD project built for a projected capacity of 115,000 seats. Upon completion, it will stand as the largest soccer-specific stadium in the world. Digital renderings of the Stade Hassan II stadium in Morocco. (Populous via Handout/Getty Images) While Lekjaa has publicly laid claim to the 2030 final, FIFA have yet to formally confirm host venue designations across the tournament. For comparison, MetLife Stadium (rebranded as New York/New Jersey Stadium during international competition) was not officially awarded the 2026 World Cup final until February 2024, reflecting the extended timeline governing bodies typically utilize before announcing final selections. Spain FA also pushing to hold the final Numerous structural decisions remain unresolved for the 2030 World Cup, including whether opening-stage fixtures assigned to Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will expand beyond initial celebratory matches, as well as final field expansion logistics. Regardless of format adjustments, the destination of the final remains the ultimate prize, one Spanish executives are unwilling to relinquish without a fight. Speaking to reporters in Ceuta, RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) president Rafael Louzan called for diplomatic alignment between bid partners: “Spain has to work with those with whom we signed the bid. We can’t say: now you’re in, now you’re not… We have all signed an acceptance of a bid, and the bid, as you know, is what it is. Therefore, we must work on that.“ Louzan subsequently reinforced Spain’s posture regarding the location of the final match, outlining the country’s historic qualifications. “The pity was that, regarding the final, it wasn’t made clear, completely clear, where that final has to be played. Spain, a two-time world champion and current number one in both men’s and women’s football, has to host that final. We will all work together, because we have no other choice, so that we can deliver the best World Cup in history,” explained the RFEF president.
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