According to international media, the Argentine team did not enter training sessions before the 2026 World Cup final in the usual way. Instead of strengthening tactical exercises, Lionel Scaloni's coaching staff actively reduced exercise volume, creating a feeling that they were not in a hurry to reveal their skills before the confrontation with Spain.
Argentine newspapers reported that in the first training sessions, the group of players who started in the semi-finals almost only practiced recovery. Those who played more than 60 minutes against England were separated to perform stretching exercises, light exercises and physical recovery.
Meanwhile, the remaining group mainly practiced with balls at moderate intensity, without many notable tactical contents.
In the most recent training session, coach Scaloni divided 13 bib shirts to serve tactical exercises. Notably, Gonzalo Montiel was given a bib shirt, while Nahuel Molina was not. This may be a sign that Montiel is likely to start in the final.
In addition to Montiel, 10 starting players in the semi-final match against England were also awarded bib shirts, along with Giovani Lo Celso and Rodrigo De Paul. Among these, De Paul is considered to have a real opportunity to squeeze into the starting lineup. The midfielder currently playing for Inter Miami will compete for a position with Giuliano Simeone.
This preparation is considered a "smokescreen" move by Lionel Scaloni. The Argentine coach has not revealed any signals about the starting lineup or the plan to deal with Spain. The exercises are all carried out tightly, minimizing situations that may reveal tactical intentions.
In fact, Argentina has repeatedly applied similar methods in the knockout rounds. After each tense match, the top priority is always to ensure a physical foundation before switching to closed tactical training sessions in the days leading up to the match.
Keeping information secret becomes even more important as Spain possesses a solid defense and ball control is among the best in the league. Coach Luis de la Fuente's team also has a lot of time to study the playing style of Lionel Messi and his teammates.
