Scaloni, Aimar to coach Argentina on interim basis

Former Argentina footballers Lionel Scaloni and Pablo Aimar will take charge of the national team on an interim basis after the sacking of Jorge Sampaoli, the head of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) said on Thursday.

Sampaoli was relieved of his duties last month following the Albiceleste's fitful World Cup campaign in Russia, which ended with a 3-4 loss to France in the round of 16, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Later we will decide who will assume the role permanently," AFA president Claudio Tapia told reporters on Thursday. "We are looking for a project, more than anything. We are going to take our time to make the right choice."

Both Scaloni, 40, and Aimar, 38, have only recently made the transition into coaching after successful playing careers. Scaloni, a former wingback for Deportivo La Coruna, West Ham and Lazio who was capped seven times for Argentina, acted as Sampaoli's assistant with both the Albiceleste and Sevilla.

Ex-attacking midfielder Aimar has been Argentina's under-17 coach since July 2017 after ending a career that included spells at Valencia and Benfica, and saw him represent his country 52 times.

The pair's first match in charge will be on September 7 when the Albiceleste confront Guatemala in Los Angeles. The two-time world champions will then meet Colombia in New Jersey four days later.

--IANS

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