Marcos Senesi Called up to the Argentine National Team After Leonardo Balerdi’s Injury Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026

Balerdi's injury forces Scaloni to make moves, Senesi joins the Argentine squad and strengthens the defense on the road to the World Cup.

Balerdi's injury

The Argentine National Team suffered an unexpected blow in the midst of World Cup preparation. Leonardo Balerdi, defender for Olympique de Marseille, was left out of the event after suffering a muscle tear in the soleus of his right leg during a training session. The official diagnosis was confirmed by the AFA thru social media and press conferences, making it clear that the player will not be able to participate in the tournament.

Replacement decision

Given this significant loss, Lionel Scaloni chose to delay the decision on the replacement. The coach used the friendly match against Iceland as a testing ground to evaluate alternatives and, after the match, he expressed: "The test today left me satisfied and cleared up many doubts. It might take me another day or two to announce Balerdi's replacement." Finally, the choice fell on Marcos Senesi, who was on the waiting list and is now traveling to Kansas City to join the team.

24 hours later: Senesi called up

The coaching staff expressed their disappointment over Balerdi's injury, but also emphasized the importance of a careful process to define the successor. In just 24 hours, Senesi went from being on standby to becoming part of the group that will seek to defend the world crown.

The 29-year-old Rosario defender has only three matches with the national team, making his debut in 2022 against Estonia. However, he arrives at a crucial moment in his career, having just signed a free transfer to Tottenham, where he will share the defense with Cristian Romero, his teammate in the Albiceleste.