Argentina's World Cup preparations have taken a hit with the news that defender Leonardo Balerdi has been ruled out due to a muscle injury. Head coach Lionel Scaloni has indicated that further changes to the squad could be on the horizon as the tournament approaches.

Balerdi's Injury Confirmed

The Argentine Football Association announced that Balerdi has sustained a muscle injury to the soleus in his right leg, effectively sidelining him for the entirety of the 2026 World Cup. Following the team's match against Honduras, Scaloni addressed the media, expressing his disappointment. “Yesterday when I sat down at the press conference, I was hoping that it wouldn’t be what we all expected, and in the end it was confirmed that Balerdi has a soleus issue and we have to withdraw him because he doesn’t meet the minimum requirements to be able to help us at least in the group stage, and it was too risky,” he stated.

Potential for Further Adjustments

With Balerdi's absence, Scaloni will need to look back at the preliminary 55-man list to find a suitable replacement. However, he has not yet confirmed any specific player to fill the gap. The coach also raised concerns about the overall fitness of the squad, suggesting that other players may not be at full capacity. “We believe — I don’t want to cause alarm either — but we are not at 100% with several of the players, and maybe it doesn’t just involve the center backs. We are going to wait,” Scaloni remarked.

Scaloni has set the upcoming friendly against Iceland on June 9 as a critical deadline for making decisions regarding Balerdi's replacement and any other potential changes to the squad. “We have the opportunity of one more match and we are going to draw conclusions based on what the team needs. We are not going to make a decision until Tuesday’s match and seeing how the rest are. We will wait,” he concluded.