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Lionel was retired for a year and felt an emptiness that was hard to ignore. Son Caliu, the amateur club next to his home in the island of Mallorca, was contacted by the former West ham full-back, who was willing to work with their kids if they had a job for him.
He did that in 2016 He heard about Lionel Messi's decision to quit international football. He couldn't believe it when he saw a picture of his ex-team-mate in the final of the tournament.
He wrote that the image said it all.
Six years later, he's working at his first World Cup as a manager, having been able to bring out the best version of Messi for the South Americans, as well as end a 28-year title barren streak. It was the beginning of the team's nickname. The man is the most popular in the country.
He has already had his contract renewed, even before the campaign inQatar kicked off with a surprise defeat by Saudi Arabia. After the World Cup, only one Argentine manager has remained in charge.
It's proof that he's popular.
The entire team and fans have a blind confidence in their coach despite the opening game of the World Cup being one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history.
After Saudi's stunning win, Argentine newspaper La Nacion said it was "full of surprises for Messi and company" but it wouldn't hurt their confidence.
"If it's 10 in the morning and Scaloni tells us good night, then it's night for us as well," the player said.
Messi and the rest of the team now look to the bench for inspiration. If they are able to recover from Tuesday's loss, they will have a chance to win the trophy for the first time in 26 years.
"We have a coaching staff with a lot of former football players who know what it means and are able to pass it on to the next generation."
There is a group that works well when they get together. The team makes the world's best player feel good and doesn't depend on him. That has been important to the process.
There was a lot of scaloni mania in Argentina in the run-up to the World Cup, but no one could have predicted that the man from the small village of Pujato would become the interim manager.
Diego Maradona said at the time that he wouldn't go to the football World Cup because of the criticism.
A reserved and down-to-earth person, Scaloni didn't answer. He didn't argue much about his lack of experience since he had worked as an assistant at Sevilla and then as a national team coach. He was still training kids in his club.
Lucho remembers going to the 2006 World Cup with him, but he didn't think he'd become the manager. He was a bit questioned at the start. The media didn't know much about his ability, but it was a smart move from the federation.
The processes work if you don't pay too much attention to the early results. They have succeeded.
The sense in Argentina is that there is a lot of togetherness. 13 of the squad traveled to Ibiza to be with Paredes when he celebrated his birthday.
Every player in the camp is supposed to sit at the same table and be able to see each other.
The Argentines believe they can win the World Cup for the first time in seven years. The Saudi result didn't change that.
Lucho says that getting there as one of the title contender and with such a great atmosphere is exciting the fans.
"It is a special World Cup, our first one without Maradona, a beloved man by all Argentines, and especially by me, who would always be around in these moments, but I have no doubts that he is supporting us from above."
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