Following the provocative remarks, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni addressed the buzzing rumors regarding the showcase of the World Cup trophy against Brazil.
The Argentina–Brazil rivalry stands as one of the most exhilarating matchups in international soccer. The impending clash in the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup Qualifiers has ignited yet more debate. Ahead of this highly anticipated game, Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni addressed the rumors surrounding the possible display of the 2022 World Cup trophy against Brazil.
Reports from Argentine media on Monday indicated that the Argentina Football Association (AFA) was contemplating a response to Raphinha and several Brazilian players who had intensified the pre-match tensions. The proposed idea was to showcase the 2022 Qatar World Cup trophy as both the Argentina and Brazil teams entered the field at the Monumental Stadium.
This concept quickly went viral on Monday morning, catching the attention of Argentina coach Scaloni. During his pre-match press conference, he was queried about the possibility of displaying the trophy. His response was concise: “There is no possibility of that happening tomorrow; they should have informed us. No, absolutely not.”
After Argentina’s triumph in the 2022 World Cup, FIFA temporarily handed over the original trophy to Argentina for a few days. Since then, the organization has provided a replica, which will remain with the AFA until the 2026 World Cup draw in Canada, the USA, and Mexico.
Scaloni decisively ended any speculation, confirming that the trophy would not be displayed during the game against Brazil. It will stay in AFA’s possession until it is returned to FIFA in 2026.
Argentina Legend Di Maria Responds to Raphinha
“We’re going to give Argentina a beating, no doubt.” These words from Raphinha during his interview with Romario TV stirred controversy ahead of the match. While no other members of the Argentina national team directly responded to Raphinha’s comments, Scaloni opted for a more measured approach.
However, one notable response came from Angel Di Maria, now retired from the national team. In a comment on an ESPN Instagram post featuring Raphinha’s interview, Di Maria reacted with three laughing emojis, quickly garnering over 30,000 likes, which made his stance on the situation abundantly clear.
