Senesi Takes Balerdi's Place in Argentina's World Cup Squad

Lionel Scaloni spent the week fine‑tuning. Instead, he ended up firefighting.

Argentina’s World Cup preparations took an abrupt hit when defender Leonardo Balerdi suffered a severe muscle tear in his right leg during training, forcing the coach into an unplanned reshuffle of his defensive plans on the eve of the tournament.

The diagnosis was brutal and definitive. The national team confirmed the news across social media and in front of the cameras: “Defender Leonardo Balerdi suffered a muscle injury in the soleus of his right leg and will not be able to be part of the squad that will play in the World Cup.” No grey area. No late miracle. Just a hole in a carefully constructed squad.

Scaloni refused to rush his response. He parked the final decision until after Argentina’s pre‑tournament friendly against Iceland, using the game as a live laboratory to test shapes, partnerships and contingencies at the back. The performance, and the answers it provided, clearly mattered.

“Today’s test left me satisfied and cleared up many doubts regarding what the team might be lacking… Maybe I’ll take one or two more days to announce Balerdi’s replacement,” Scaloni said, hinting at both relief and caution as he weighed up his options.

The pressure finally told in favour of Marcos Senesi.

The 29‑year‑old, initially on standby, received the call every reserve dreams of and every injured player dreads. He will now travel to Kansas City to join the World Cup camp, stepping directly into the void left by Balerdi and into one of the most competitive defensive units in international football.

Inside the camp, the mood was mixed. The coaching staff expressed genuine disappointment for Balerdi, who had fought his way into the conversation and then saw the opportunity ripped away by one mistimed moment in training. At the same time, they underlined the deliberate, methodical process behind choosing his successor, making clear this was no panic pick.

For Senesi, it has been a monumental 24 hours.

He arrives with just three Argentina caps, but with a career arc that has quietly hardened him for this stage. The former Bournemouth centre-back, who once turned down a call-up from Italy, recently agreed a free transfer to Tottenham starting July 1. Now, before even pulling on a Spurs shirt, he is walking into a World Cup with the Albiceleste.

He will also find a familiar face in that dressing room. In Kansas City, Senesi links up with future club team‑mate Cristian Romero, part of a star‑studded Argentina back line that first blooded Senesi in a friendly against Estonia in 2022. That debut felt like a tentative step into the national set‑up. This time, the stakes are far higher.

An injury has redrawn Scaloni’s plans. A standby defender has been thrust into the spotlight.

The question now is simple: can Senesi turn this unexpected chance into a permanent place in Argentina’s defensive hierarchy?