One player dropped, injury concerns for three more in Argentina squad

Leonardo Balardi has been removed from Argentina’s 26-man World Cup squad due to injury, with the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirming his withdrawal on Saturday.

Although teams typically move quickly to name replacements as tournaments approach, head coach Lionel Scaloni has opted to delay any immediate decision regarding Balardi’s replacement.

Scaloni has also indicated that Balardi may not be the only player to miss out, with additional squad changes still possible. According to Argentine media reports, at least three players are currently at risk of being ruled out of the tournament due to injury concerns.

Ahead of their World Cup campaign, Argentina played a friendly against Honduras, securing a 2–0 victory with goals from Lautaro Martínez and Giuliano Simeone. Following the match, Scaloni was asked at a press conference whether a replacement for Balardi had already been identified.

In response, the Argentina coach stated that he would take additional time before making any decision. He explained that several players are not yet fully fit and that the situation extends beyond a single position. Scaloni added that further evaluation would be conducted after the team’s next match, with no decisions expected before Tuesday.

He said: “Many of our players are not yet at 100 per cent fitness. The decision may not be limited to a single centre-back. We have another match ahead, and then we will decide. One player’s situation forces us to evaluate several others. We will not make any decisions before Tuesday without assessing the physical condition of the rest.”

Argentina are scheduled to face Iceland in their second World Cup warm-up match on Tuesday.

According to TYC Sports, the main injury concerns currently involve Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, and Leandro Paredes. These three were among six players who did not feature even on the bench in the Honduras match.

Montiel and Molina are both suffering from muscle problems. Their situation is further complicated as they compete for the same position, prompting Scaloni to call up Agustín Giay and Nicolás Capaldo for the friendly fixtures. Giay started the match against Honduras.

Leandro Paredes, meanwhile, sustained a minor muscle tear during his time with Boca Juniors. His recovery has been slow, and he has not yet returned to full training.

Among the players absent from the bench, Julián Álvarez is also managing ankle inflammation. However, his participation in the World Cup is not currently in doubt.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez has recovered from a finger injury and is expected to start Argentina’s opening World Cup match against Algeria.

Additionally, Nicolás Paz had been dealing with a knee issue suffered towards the end of the season while playing for Como in Italy. He is expected to rejoin the squad following the Honduras fixture.

Argentina will begin their World Cup campaign against Algeria on 16 June. They are placed in Group J, where they will also face Austria on 22 June and Jordan on 27 June.

Argentina’s squad continues to undergo assessment as the coaching staff monitors the fitness of several key players ahead of the tournament.