Lionel Scaloni has four reasons to leave Argentina national team, and none of them have to do with Leo Messi

There's no denying it at this point: The Argentina national team is set to undergo major changes sooner than later . It was clear that things were going to look different once the 2026 FIFA World Cup wrapped up, with the team's Final loss to Spain accentuating the sadness of it all.

First came Nicolas Otamendi 's retirement from the national team, followed by the true dagger: Lionel Messi announcing his international retirement as well. With mainstays like Leandro Paredes and Emiliano Martinez putting their futures with the national team in doubt, too, it has left manager Lionel Scaloni with a conundrum on his hands.

After losing to Spain, Scaloni couldn't contain his emotions in the post-match press conference, even while saying that he currently had his dream job . That had many wondering if he would choose to not renew his contract once it expires at the end of the year; a notion that was only amplified after Messi's retirement .

Lionel Scaloni has some issues with how AFA is handling bonus payments and friendly matches

As it turns out, there's much more going on in Scaloni's head than having to replace Messi. Argentinian reporter Veronica Brunati recently posited that there are four points of emphasis that are making Scaloni's decision a hard one .

" Scaloni knows that a new team must be rebuilt : After an extraordinary era, he will have to start another project from scratch. And today, he is weighing whether he has the necessary energy and drive to take on that challenge."

" The AFA owes a significant amount in bonuses to the squad and the coaching staff : There is discontent within the group; they are aware of the revenue the AFA generates and find it incomprehensible that these payments remain outstanding."

" Issues with the friendlies : Scaloni requested matches against higher-caliber, more competitive opponents as part of the team's preparation. However, this never materialized in the way the coach had intended."

" Walter Samuel will not continue on the coaching staff : He will leave the Argentina national team after the 2026 World Cup, bringing an end to eight years of work alongside Scaloni."

Scaloni might simply be tired from putting together the best eight-year run in the national team's history. Everything is weighing on him at the moment, but there's still time for AFA to convince him to stay.