Scaloni’s call: why Tagliafico stays in the World Cup squad injured

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Radio Gol

·13 June 2026

Scaloni’s call: why Tagliafico stays in the World Cup squad injured

The fears of the Argentina national team’s coaching staff were confirmed this Thursday. Medical tests confirmed that Nicolás Tagliafico suffered a soleus muscle injury that will keep him out of the opener.

Even though the tear came less than a week before the debut, Lionel Scaloni made a firm decision after meeting with the defender: to keep him on the final list of 26 call-ups.

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Scaloni’s reasons for not dropping him:

Leadership within the squad: He is an indispensable locker-room leader who has worn the captain’s armband in the absences of Messi and Otamendi.
Undisputed starter: He is the clear first-choice left back, and the squad has no other natural full-back with his level of experience.
Less serious injury: Since it is a minor physical issue, there is real hope for a recovery against the clock.

Expected timeline for his return:

Optimistic scenario: That he progresses well and can get some minutes in the second Group J match against Austria on June 22.
Pessimistic scenario: That the timeline stretches out and he only becomes available again for a possible knockout-stage match in the round of 32.

Within the national team, they understand that his presence will be vital for the decisive stages. That is why the coaching staff preferred to risk losing him for the first part of the tournament rather than go without his experience.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.