Lionel Scaloni announced that his reign as Argentina manager may come to an end when his contract expires in December.
Speaking after Argentina's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, he said: "I will continue as Argentina coach until December, then probably I will stop".
The 48-year-old -- who succeeded Jorge Sampaoli in 2018 -- has enjoyed a vastly successful spell with Argentina, leading the nation to the 2022 World Cup and back-to-back Copa America triumphs.
We take a look at some potential candidates to succeed Scaloni in the Argentina hotseat in the event that he does depart when his contract expires.
Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino is yet to sign a contract extension with the USA, and so -- as thing stand -- his current deal is in line to expire in 2026.
There was a sense of optimism in The States when the former Chelsea manager was appointed to succeed Gregg Berhalter, and while they topped the Group D standings at the 2026 World Cup with six points, the co-hosts ultimately crashed out of the tournament against Belgium in the round of 16.
A manager of Pochettino's calibre is likely to attract plenty of attention in the event that he doesn't agree terms with the USA over a new contract, and you'd suspect that the Argentine national team will be amongst those sounding him out.
Diego Simeone
A two-time Copa America winner with Argentina during his professional playing career, Diego Simeone appears tailor-made for the national team hotseat.
Like Scaloni's Argentina, Simeone's Atletico Madrid are renowned for their defensive solidity and aggressive nature.
Simeone's commitment to Atletico is unrivalled, and so it may prove difficult to pry the 56-year-old away from the Metropolitano Stadium, but his contract with the club expires in 2027 and he may seek a challenge away from the Spanish capital.
Marcelo Gallardo
Marcelo Gallardo is back on the managerial market after stepping down from the River Plate job in February.
He won a remarkable 14 trophies with the Argentine giants in his first spell at the club between 2014 and 2022, but he failed to add to his list of honours upon his return between 2024 and 2026.
Employing an intense style of football that priorities possession-based attacking, Gallardo's setup differs from that of Scaloni's.
If Argentina want to head in a different direction post-Scaloni however, the decorated Argentinian could be amidst those considered.
Javier Mascherano
A common theme amongst these candidates is their prior experience with Argentina during their professional playing days, and Javier Mascherano fits the bill.
Mascherano made 147 appearances for the national team, before announcing his retirement in 2018 whilst representing Argentine outfit Estudiantes.
After a few years away from the sport post-retirement, the former Liverpool and Barcelona man made his first step into management when taking the Argentina U20s head coach role in 2022, before later moving on to manage the U23s.
He won the MLS Eastern Conference and MLS Cup with Inter Miami in 2025 -- his first and only club role -- before resigning due to personal reasons in April 2026.
Few know what it's like to represent Argentina quite like Mascherano, and his background with the national team could hold him in good stead in the event that he is approached to succeed Scaloni.
