It was the World Cup of Lionel. The World Cup-winning captain who got the golden ball and the man of the match in five of his seven appearances, the player who scored in every knockout round, with a brace in the final, and the footballer who, for many, sealed his case to be deemed the greatest ever.
But also the other Lionel. The quiet man of Argentinian football, the facilitator of Lionel Messi’s dreams, the caretaker who became a World Cup winner. Lionel Scaloni is the first World Cup-winning manager who has been managed by Alan Pardew. It was probably not the secret of his success but, after securing Argentina’s first Copa America in 28 years, he now has their first World Cup for 36. He stands alongside Cesar Luis Menotti and Carlos Bilardo, though a modest figure argued: “I am not at their level yet.” Perhaps it is because it will take time for him to get used to the idea of Scaloni being a World Cup winner.
