Lionel Scaloni left his future as Argentina head coach beyond the 2026 World Cup open as he gives full focus to their next match against Ecuador.

Argentina will close out their World Cup qualifying with a trip to Ecuador having already topped the standings among the South American countries.

Scaloni led Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup while also securing back-to-back Copa America titles and a win over Italy in the 2022 Finalissima.

The 47-year-old refused to clarify his future beyond the next summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but expressed his pride in the work he has done so far with his staff.

“I focus only on what’s next, I’ve never been one to think too far ahead,” said Scaloni.

“I don’t think it’s right because it distracts from the present. Right now, we’re focused on tomorrow’s match [Ecuador] and the upcoming friendlies.

“What happens beyond that, we’ll see. For now, I feel good here.

“From Day 1, we aimed to build a sense of belonging, to play for the shirt without it feeling like an obligation, with the right mindset and respect for teammates.

“That has been achieved. Winning obviously helps, but even without the trophies, the players and everyone around the team lived up to the values we set out to build.”

Argentina won the reverse fixture against Ecuador 1-0 in 2023 thanks to a goal from Lionel Messi, while also winning on penalties in the Copa America quarter-finals last year.