Leonardo Balerdi will miss the 2026 World Cup after a calf injury forced Argentina to withdraw the Marseille defender. He suffered a soleus strain in his right leg during training in Kansas City, prompting the federation to confirm his absence on X Saturday. The setback removes a player who featured in seven qualifiers and had a breakout season in France.

Balerdi entered the tournament on the back of 36 appearances for Marseille, scoring once and cementing a place in Lionel Scaloni’s defensive options. Argentina’s back line already boasts Lisandro Martínez, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi and Facundo Medina, leaving little doubt about depth, but the coach must now name a replacement, with Marcos Senesi and Lucas Martínez Quarta emerging as choices.

Without Balerdi, Argentina loses a versatile defender who never featured in a World Cup but contributed eleven caps overall. His absence forces Scaloni to reshuffle the squad, but the existing quartet provides experience and physicality, ensuring the team retains a solid defensive core as they aim to defend their title in the United States ahead of the opening match on June 13.