World Cup 2026: Marcos Senesi replaces Balerdi in Argentina squad | OneFootball

Due to the muscle tear suffered by Leonardo Balerdi, which ruled him out of the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Scaloni decided to urgently call up former San Lorenzo center-back Marcos Senesi to complete the final squad for the Argentina national team.

Argentina suffered a major setback at its camp just days before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After Leonardo Balerdi’s serious injury was confirmed, the coaching staff led by Lionel Scaloni made its decision after several days of analysis and officially called up Marcos Senesi to take his place in central defense.

Things took a turn for the worse for the national team delegation last weekend, when Balerdi, who had been gaining ground in the coach’s plans, felt sharp pain during a morning training session. Follow-up tests brought the worst possible news: a tear in the soleus muscle of his right leg.

Leonardo Balerdi was ruled out of the Argentina national team for the 2026 World Cup.

With an estimated recovery time of 21 days, the defender developed at Boca Juniors was set to miss the entire group stage. This forced the national team to make a drastic decision under FIFA regulations, which allow changes to the final squad in cases of serious injury up to 24 hours before the first match.

"Defender Leonardo Balerdi suffered a muscle injury to the soleus in his right leg and will not be part of the squad that will play in the World Cup," the official medical report issued by the Argentine Football Association explained at the time.

Argentina’s announcement days before its 2026 World Cup debut

Needing a center-back who would be fully fit from the opening match, Scaloni immediately turned to the list of reserves. The AFA ultimately confirmed the change through its communication channels: "Defender Marcos Senesi joins the squad of players who will compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup."

Argentina is awaiting its debut on Tuesday, June 16.

In this way, Senesi joins the Albiceleste camp to provide depth in the back line. Despite the bitter feeling of losing a teammate, the team is putting the final touches in place to overcome this setback and begin the 2026 World Cup in the best possible way.

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