The Argentine national team has formally called up defender Marcos Senesi for the 2026 World Cup. The Tottenham defender arrives in Kansas this Thursday to join the squad defending the world title. He occupies the vacancy left by Leonardo Balerdi, who was cut last week due to a muscle injury.
Senesi, 29 years old, started his career at San Lorenzo and is enjoying a good moment after moving to Tottenham. The call reflects the physical problems that have been plaguing the group led by Lionel Scaloni. The technician waited a few days before defining the replacement, prioritizing the complete assessment of the clinical picture.
Left-back Nicolás Tagliafico became the new concern. He suffered a muscle strain during the victory over Honduras, last Saturday, on a synthetic pitch considered too hard. The Lyon player started as a starter in that match, but was not even included on the bench in the friendly against Iceland on Tuesday. He trains separately and his presence in the debut remains uncertain.
Scaloni is not yet considering an immediate cut for Tagliafico, but time is short. Argentina debuts next Tuesday, June 16, against Algeria, in Kansas City.
Group J and Argentina calendar
- June 16, 10pm: Argentina x Algeria, in Kansas City
- June 22, 2pm: Argentina vs Austria, in Dallas
- June 27, 11pm: Argentina x Jordan, in Dallas
The sequence of injuries and last-minute adjustments shows the challenges of preparing a world champion team in the midst of a World Cup played in North American territory, with travel and adaptations to the climate and calendar. Senesi arrives as an experienced option for the defense, alongside names like Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martínez.
Tagliafico’s case gains importance because the full-back has been an important part of Scaloni’s scheme since the 2022 World Cup. His forced absence could make room for Facundo Medina or another alternative on the left side.
