The former boss is confident Lionel Messi and his team-mates will be among the 32 nations competing next year.
Edgardo Bauza officially farewelled the national team, not before insisting Argentina will qualify for next year's World Cup in Russia.
Bauza fronted the media on Tuesday alongside the Argentine Football Association (AFA) after he was sacked less than a year in his position as head coach.
Sampaoli the only option for Argentina
The 59-year-old, who succeeded Gerardo Martino in August, paid the price for overseeing just three wins in eight matches in charge – last month's shock 2-0 loss in Bolivia leaving the South American giants outside of the automatic qualification for the 2018 World Cup in the CONMEBOL section.