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Jorge Sampaoli will continue as Argentina coach whatever happens at the World Cup, Argentina Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia has said. Former Chile coach Sampaoli took over last June and is under contract until 2022. "I have spoken to him -- his continuity is guaranteed, it goes beyond the next World Cup because we understand that he has to guide this project," Tapia told DirecTV. "We signed a contract and we are respectful of them. It will always depend on him and not on a sporting result. "From my end, or that of the executive committee, the result of the World Cup will not depend on it." Argentina, who have not won the World Cup since 1986, have been drawn with Croatia, Iceland and Nigeria in Group D. They have lost three straight major finals -- two in the Copa America and the 2014 World Cup -- in three years. Captain Lionel Messi hinted that he would retire from international duty if Argentina did not succeed this summer. Spain's 6-1 win over a Messi-less Argentina in a friendly in March rang alarm bells, with Sampaoli saying they would have to up their game for the World Cup.
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