Argentina's Sergio Aguero in talks to join backroom staff for World Cup

Posted Tuesday, February 22, 2022 by ESPN

Sergio "Kun" Aguero will be working on the Argentina backroom staff at the World Cup after talks with coach Lionel Scaloni and the president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA).

Aguero suffered an arrhythmia while playing a league game with Barcelona on Oct. 30 and announced six weeks later that he had to retire from football at the age of 33 due to a heart condition.

Aguero spoke initially with Scaloni about his desire to go with the team to the World Cup in Qatar, and then he met AFA president Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia on Monday.

"I'm going to Qatar," Aguero told TyC Sports after the meeting.

"We still need to figure out in what role but I'll be with the team at the World Cup.

"It was a nice talk with 'Chiqui'; he's been great with me and asked me to get together. The talks will continue to set on my role and also on the possibility to be at the draw for the World Cup. In the next week, we are going to finish all the details.

"My intention is to spend time with the players. I'll be there with the team, I get along very well with them. I want to be close to them and try to have fun and loosen up.

"I want to find a place from where I can help the national team. It's still very recent my retirement and I have offers from several sides, but I want to enjoy myself now and have more time to relax and do things that I couldn't do when I was a soccer player".

The former Manchester City star, who won the Copa America with Argentina in 2021, would have been considered by Scaloni for the tournament in Qatar.

Aguero said that he had a chip inserted to monitor his heart.

"If my heart accelerates, the doctors know," he said. "I have a chip inserted. "The other day I was running on the treadmill, and I played a game of football tennis and I ran out of breath.

"Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be able to sprint again. I am scared."

Aguero twice won the Under-20 World Cup with Argentina. He was close to winning the World Cup in 2014 with the senior national team but Argentina lost 1-0 in extra-time to Germany in the final at the Maracana stadium.

Seven years later at the same venue, Argentina, with Aguero on the squad, won its first major title in 28 years by beating Brazil 1-0 to lift the 2021 Copa America.

Argentina have qualified for the 2022 World Cup and are unbeaten in qualifying.