Argentinians Lionel Scaloni and Gustavo Alfaro have been named among the five finalists for the 39th edition of the traditional "América le Responde a El País" poll. Organized by the Uruguayan newspaper El País, the award honors the best coach in the Americas.

Scaloni, coach of the Argentine national team, and Alfaro, manager of Paraguay, will compete alongside Portuguese coach Artur Jorge (Botafogo), Uruguayan Diego Aguirre (Peñarol), and fellow Argentinian Gustavo Costas (Racing).

Achievements of the Year

• Lionel Scaloni secured the Copa América with Argentina, further solidifying his legacy with La Albiceleste.
• Gustavo Alfaro has delivered remarkable results with Paraguay since taking over in August, including wins against Brazil and Argentina in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
• Artur Jorge led Botafogo to a historic double, winning the Copa Libertadores and the Brazilian league.
• Diego Aguirre claimed the Uruguayan league title with Peñarol.
• Gustavo Costas triumphed in the Copa Sudamericana with Racing.

A Historic Award

First awarded in 1986, the accolade’s most successful recipient is Argentine Carlos Bianchi, with five wins. Other notable winners include José Pékerman, Marcelo Gallardo, and European coach Abel Ferreira, the only non-American to claim the award, after being honored in 2021. The successor to Brazil’s Fernando Diniz, the 2023 winner for his Copa Libertadores success with Fluminense, will be announced soon.