FIFA WC: Argentina rope in Senesi as replacement for Balerdi ahead of World Cup opener
Kansas City, June 12
Defender Marcos Senesi has been roped in as a replacement for injured Leonardo Balerdi ahead of their FIFA World Cup campaign, announced the Argentine Football Association on Thursday.
Balerdi's calf injury led to him being dropped from the defending champions' 26-man-strong roster for the marquee event, as per Reuters.
Senesi, 29, had a long stint with Premier League side Bournemouth from 2022-26 and will now be joining Tottenham Hotspur. He has also made three appearances for Argentina so far.
Senesi was crucial in Bournemouth's sixth-place finish in the recently concluded Premier League, which helped them achieve the UEFA Europa League qualification for the first time in history, which is their first taste of European football competition.
Argentina open their World Cup campaign against Algeria on June 16 before facing Austria and Jordan in Group J.
Argentina's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad
-Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Geronimo Rulli (Olympique de Marseille), Juan Musso (Atletico de Madrid).
-Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (River Plate), Nahuel Molina (Atletico de Madrid), Lisandro Martinez (Manchester United), Nicolas Otamendi (SL Benfica), Marcos Senesi (Tottenham Hotspur), Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur), Facundo Medina (Olympique de Marseille), Nicolas Tagliafico (Olympique Lyonnais).
-Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Boca Juniors), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Valentin Barco (RC Strasbourg).
-Forwards: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Nicolas Paz (Como 1907), Thiago Almada (Atletico de Madrid), Nicolas Gonzalez (Atletico de Madrid), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico de Madrid), Lautaro Martinez (Internazionale), Jose Manuel Lopez (Palmeiras), Julian Alvarez (Atletico de Madrid).
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting to see how Argentina manages without Balerdi. Senesi is decent but lacks the same experience. That said, their midfield is stacked - De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernandez... what a trio! 🔥 Group J looks manageable too.
Feel bad for Balerdi - calf injuries are no joke. But Argentina knows how to handle such situations after winning the last World Cup. Their defense still looks strong with Romero and Otamendi. 🇦🇷
As an Indian football fan, I really appreciate how Argentina keeps rebuilding their squad. They lost some big names after 2022 but still have such a balanced team. And Senesi - what a story, from Bournemouth to Tottenham in one window! 👏
Good to see Senesi getting this opportunity. He was solid for Bournemouth. But I'm a bit concerned about Argentina's right-back options - Montiel hasn't played much this season. Hope they hold up against Algeria's pace.
Argentina has so many attacking options - Messi, Alvarez, Martinez, Simeone. 🔥 But their midfield selection is puzzling. Barco is more of a winger, and Lo Celso has been inconsistent. Still, they're the team to beat!
N Nisha Z