Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has warned against underestimating Austria after admitting the European side pushed the reigning champions far harder than many expected in their 2-0 victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The result secured Argentina’s place in the knockout stages and maintained their perfect start to the tournament, but Scaloni was quick to dismiss any suggestion that the match had been straightforward.
Goals from Lionel Messi ultimately settled the contest in Texas, yet the Argentina coach felt the scoreline failed to reflect the challenge posed by Ralf Rangnick’s side.
“It seemed that it was going to be easy, and I assure you that it wasn’t,” Scaloni told reporters after the match.
Austria entered the game after defeating Jordan in their opening fixture and spent long periods competing aggressively against the world champions, particularly through their physicality and relentless pressing.
Scaloni acknowledged that Argentina were forced to endure difficult moments without possession, something he believes highlighted an important strength within his squad.
“We suffered, but we know how to suffer,” he said.
“He is a tough rival, a complicated rival, who does not give a ball for lost, who has a lot of height and physical strength. We couldn’t be careless.”
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The Argentina boss praised his players for understanding how to manage different phases of the game, particularly when Austria attempted to disrupt their rhythm.
While Argentina dominated Algeria in their opening fixture, Scaloni argued that the Austria encounter was not significantly different in terms of overall performance levels.
“The game was similar to me,” he explained.
“It is a rival that has players of hierarchy, players who play in big teams and make things difficult for you. Today the physical state plays a lot and the emotional state plays a lot.”
Austria enjoyed spells of possession and territory during the contest, but Scaloni questioned whether their pressure translated into genuine control of the match.
“When the team does not have the ball, we do not like it, but the rival plays. That is the reality,” he said.
“I am not so sure if that superiority was reflected in shots on goal.”
The victory means Argentina have won their opening two World Cup matches and secured qualification with a game to spare, but Scaloni remains convinced there is room for improvement as the tournament progresses.
The coach highlighted the maturity of his squad after they recovered from a missed penalty and continued to create opportunities.
“It is logical that missing a penalty is a blow, but the team came back and did it again,” Scaloni said.
“There were moments where nothing seemed to happen, but that is also due to the maturity this team has.”
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Argentina will now turn their attention to their final Group J fixture knowing progress is already guaranteed. Scaloni revealed he could rotate members of his squad but stressed that securing qualification would not lead to complacency.
“We all would have signed to win both games,” he said.
“The idea is to give opportunities to the majority because I think they deserve it.”
