Three More Argentina Players Doubtful Following Balerdi Injury

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed on Saturday that defender Leonardo Balerdi has been withdrawn from Argentina’s 26-man World Cup squad due to injury. Whilst national team managers typically secure replacements immediately as major tournaments approach, head coach Lionel Scaloni is deliberately taking his time before naming a successor. According to reports from the Argentine media outlet, Balerdi’s exclusion may not be the final modification to the squad, as at least three more players are currently at risk of missing the tournament due to fitness concerns.

Friendly Victory and Scaloni’s Press Conference

Ahead of their World Cup campaign, Argentina contested a preparatory friendly match against Honduras, securing a 2-0 victory courtesy of goals from Lautaro Martínez and Giuliano Simeone. During the post-match press conference, Scaloni was questioned regarding his delay in replacing the injured Balerdi. The manager indicated that several members of the squad are still far from peak physical condition, which has complicated the selection process.

Addressing the media, Scaloni stated:

“Many of our players are still not 100 per cent fit. The decision will probably not just revolve around a single centre-back. We have another match ahead, after which we will reach a decision. One player’s situation is forcing us to evaluate the condition of several others. We will not make any decisions before next Tuesday without seeing the physical condition of the others.”

Argentina are scheduled to face Iceland on Tuesday in their second warm-up fixture, after which the technical staff will finalise the squad changes.

Squad Fitness Analysis and Replacements

The gravity of Argentina’s fitness dilemmas was reflected in their matchday squad against Honduras, where six players failed to even secure a place on the substitutes’ bench. Reports from TyC Sports highlight that the primary sources of anxiety for the coaching staff are Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, and Leandro Paredes—all of whom were among the omitted six.

Montiel and Molina are currently sidelined with muscle issues. The situation is uniquely challenging because both players compete directly for the same right-back position. To mitigate this defensive crisis, Scaloni handed late call-ups to Agustín Giay and Nicolás Capaldo for the friendly fixtures, with Giay selected in the starting line-up against Honduras. Meanwhile, Boca Juniors midfielder Leandro Paredes is recovering from a minor muscle tear sustained in his last competitive outing. His rehabilitation is progressing slowly, preventing him from returning to regular training sessions.

Conversely, the remaining three players left out of the matchday squad present a more positive outlook:

• Julián Álvarez: The Atlético Madrid forward is suffering from ankle inflammation, though his participation in the World Cup is not considered to be in jeopardy.

• Emiliano Martínez: The goalkeeper has recovered fully from a finger injury and is expected to start between the posts for the opening tournament fixture.

• Nicolás Paz: The midfielder sustained a left knee injury during the latter stages of the domestic season with Italian club Como. He is scheduled to join the national team camp following the conclusion of the Honduras match.

World Cup Group and Fixture Schedule

Argentina will officially launch their World Cup campaign on 16 June against Algeria. Competing in Group J, the South American side will subsequently face Austria and Jordan in their remaining group-stage fixtures.

The table below outlines the current medical and tactical status of the affected players within the Argentine camp: