Leonardo Balerdi out of World Cup with right soleus injury | OneFootball

Argentina have suffered a late blow days before their 2026 World Cup opener, with Leonardo Balerdi ruled out of the tournament through injury.

The federation announced that the Olympique de Marseille defender sustained a muscle injury to the soleus in his right leg and will not be part of the World Cup squad.

Balerdi picked up the problem in the national team’s final training session before the friendly against Honduras, and subsequent tests confirmed he would not be fit in time.

It is a setback for Lionel Scaloni, as Balerdi had earned a place among the 26 after a strong season in France and was an important option at centre-back, with the staff also tracking the fitness of others.

The former Boca defender, aged 27, started three South American qualifiers, against Peru, Chile and Ecuador, and has 11 caps.

Scaloni must now decide on a replacement, which is expected to come from the 55-player provisional list, with Marcos Senesi among the leading candidates.

Source: SuperDepor.com