La Albiceleste’s penalty shootout quarter-final win over the Netherlands was full of tension, with plenty of niggle between the two sides.
Photos emerged after the game of Argentina players goading the Dutch, while there was a major sideline scuffle.
“The previous game was played the way we had to play it from both teams, the Netherlands and Argentina, and that’s football,” Scaloni said.
“In football, sometimes you have to defend, attack and some games, you know, things can happen like the previous game.
“There can be arguments, more challenging times but that’s all. That’s why there is a referee to make justice. And we need to just put an end to this idea of, you know, thinking Argentina is just that and we usually have that sort of behaviour.
“We lost to Saudi Arabia, we didn’t say anything. We won the Copa Amrica in Brazil and we experienced the most sporting behaviour with Messi, Paredes and Neymar.
“They were all sitting together in that tunnel at that Maracana Stadium, so I’m really not convinced of this idea of unsporting behaviour.
“We need to show our pride and we just played the game the way we had to play it. And then there is a referee in charge of making decisions. Things end in the moment the referee blows the final whistle.
“So, we respect all the teams, the Netherlands, Croatia now and all the opponents we face. That’s one of our main characteristics and features of our personality since the first game.
“We need to put an end to this idea of us not being good winners or losers. Thats’ very far from who we actually are as a team, as a squad and as the way we represent this nation.”