3 managers who could replace Sampaoli as Argentina coach

#2 DIEGO SIMEONE

The Atletico Madrid boss has been linked with the Argentina job

Perhaps the man most qualified to take Argentina forward is none other than Atletico coach Diego Simeone.

The midfielder was capped over 100 times for the Argentina national team and represented the country at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, and in four editions of the Copa América, winning the tournament in 1991 and 1993. He also won the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992, and a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympic games.

"To coach the [Argentina] national team will always be a life objective, but I am not waiting on it, it will come in the future," Simeone had said.

One of the original contenders to replace Bauza as head coach, Simeone has publicly acknowledged his desire to take charge of the Albiceleste at some point in his career.

Simeone has already won La Liga, UEFA Europa League (twice) and Copa del Rey with Atletico, apart from making it to two UEFA Champions League finals, and the Argentina job may well be the next big challenge in his career.

One of the elite managers in club football currently, Simeone is known for how well-organized and combative his teams are, focusing on lightning-quick counters to score goals.

If appointed as coach, Diego would instill a fighting spirit in this rather timid Argentina side, and could get them to shore up that leaky defence while allowing the likes of Messi and Dybala to run riot on counters.