Argentine Coaches Lead Copa America Showcasing South American Soccer

Seven out of sixteen teams in this summer’s Copa America are led by Argentine coaches, highlighting their enduring influence in South American soccer.

At this summer’s Copa America, seven of the 16 participating nations will be led by Argentine coaches. Lionel Scaloni heads the list as the head coach of the Argentina national team. Marcelo Bielsa leads Uruguay, while Colombia and Venezuela are coached by Nestor Lorenzo and Fernando Batista, respectively. Chile made a big hire with the appointment of Ricardo Gareca, and Paraguay, who had fired Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto in 2023, replaced him with his compatriot Daniel Garnero. Gustavo Alfaro manages the CONCACAF side Costa Rica, who coached Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

This phenomenon has existed for South America, but certainly not for the continent’s most prestigious international competition. At the 2015 Copa America, all four semifinalists (Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Paraguay) were coached by Argentine managers. The 2019 edition of the tournament featured three Argentine managers at the semifinal stage.

Managers from Argentina have always been highly sought after at both the domestic and international levels. But why? In South America, the debate delves into everything from soccer heritage to inferiority complexes and fanatical patriotism. Argentina is the land of Alfredo Di Stefano, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi. Greatness in soccer is a virtue that Argentines have come to expect. Their most successful managers at both club and international levels are often revered for their philosophical approaches to soccer.

The late Cesar Luis Menotti is considered to be Argentina’s most extraordinary soccer mind. Menotti, who passed away in May at 85, coached Argentina to the World Cup title in 1978. His career highlights included coaching Argentina from 1974 to 1983 and stints with Barcelona, Boca Juniors, and River Plate. Until his death, Menotti was the Argentina Football Association’s (AFA) director of soccer.

Menotti’s wisdom helped position Argentine soccer, specifically the national team, as a conceptual idea rather than merely a magnet for passionate fandom. “The national team is a solemn place to be,” Menotti said in 2019 after accepting the AFA’s appointment. “Every ball that a player kicks awakens a cultural manifestation. We will support that cultural growth because it’s something that clubs cannot do. Only the Argentina national team can.”

Soccer Philosophy and Cultural Impact

Menotti’s approach and ability to express soccer ideas as if he were an advanced university course professor are synonymous with many past and present coaches from Argentina. Managers from Argentina are often viewed as both tacticians and capable leaders. That assumption can lead to nationalistic debates across South America.

When Colombia hired current manager Lorenzo, a former Argentina national team defender, Colombians joked on social media that an Argentine passport was a requirement for the job. Lorenzo replaced Colombian Reinaldo Rueda, a highly esteemed coach in South America. To make matters more contentious, Lorenzo is the second Argentine manager to lead Colombia in recent years after Jose Pekerman, who coached Colombia from 2014 to 2018.

“I was surprised by Lorenzo’s hire,” said former Colombia and Costa Rica national team coach Jorge Luis Pinto in 2022. “He doesn’t have the status to manage the Colombian national team.” Efraín Pachón, the former president of Bogotá-based club Independiente Santa Fe, labeled the decision “ridiculous and embarrassing.”

Pachón’s comments reflect a broader sentiment of national pride and the belief that local coaches should be given precedence. “We have (Colombian) coaches who have managed at World Cup tournaments and have enriched other national teams,” Pachón said. “The smart decision would have been to hire every (Colombian) coach who has been at a World Cup and assemble a staff that way.”

Despite initial skepticism, Lorenzo has proven to be a capable national team manager. Colombia arrives at the 2024 Copa America on a 19-game unbeaten streak under the Argentine.

Adaptability and Success Across the Continent

Argentine coaches are respected for their tactical understanding and ability to adapt to the different cultural idiosyncrasies of South American soccer. Domestic leagues throughout the region are littered with Argentine managers, and the same can be said for players of Argentine descent who often join some of South America’s top club sides.

Only arch-rivals and five-time world champions Brazil can confidently look down upon the Albiceleste in a battle of egos. Brazilian clubs dominate South America, but the 2022 World Cup title has strengthened Argentina’s hold as the continent’s best national team. However, some Argentine coaches have succeeded even in Brazil, where the language can be an initial obstacle.

The pay is much better in Brazil, but it’s a trend that has cemented the notion that Argentina produces the best managers in South America. Coaches Gabriel Milito (Clube Atletico Mineiro), Ramon Díaz (Vasco da Gama), Eduardo Coudet (Internacional), Nicolas Larcamon (Cruzeiro), and Juan Pablo Vojvoda (Fortaleza) joined more than 40 Argentine players who featured in Brazil’s top flight in 2024. On the other hand, it’s rare to see Brazilian players in the Argentine league, let alone coaches. Take, for instance, Boca Juniors. The Buenos Aires-based super club has only hired two Brazilian coaches since its inception in 1905 and nine foreign-born managers.

There’s also the Scaloni effect. The former interim manager proved to the world that inexperience is only sometimes a determining factor for success. Scaloni, 46, lifted the 2022 World Cup trophy despite having yet to be a head coach at the senior level. Now considered one of the sport’s premier man managers, Scaloni is chasing his fourth title with Argentina this summer (after the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions, and the 2022 World Cup).

Argentine Influence in South American Soccer

The 2024 Copa América will be another showcase for Argentine managers on the international stage, proving that their influence in South America isn’t a trend but rather a ubiquitous reality. Barring a complete collapse by the CONMEBOL sides, an Argentine will likely coach at least one team in the final.

Argentina’s soccer heritage and contributions to player and managerial excellence continue to be a source of national pride. The success of Argentine coaches across South America reflects not merely their tactical knowledge but also their ability to inspire and lead teams to greatness. As the 2024 Copa América unfolds, the world will again witness Argentine managers’ strategic brilliance and leadership, which have left an indelible mark on the sport.

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The tournament will be a battleground for the best teams and a stage where Argentine coaching philosophies and strategies will be scrutinized, celebrated, and perhaps emulated. The enduring presence of Argentine managers in South American soccer is a testament to their unparalleled expertise and the deep-rooted passion for the game that defines Argentina.