Argentina defender Leonardo Balerdi was ruled out of the 2026 World Cup on June 6 after suffering a muscle injury in the soleus of his right leg, the team announced the same day they played a friendly against Honduras [1, 2]. The 27-year-old, who has earned 11 caps for Argentina but never featured in a World Cup, will not be able to join the squad in the tournament in North America [1, 2, 3].
Balerdi was named in Argentina's 26-man squad last week after strong performances for Olympique de Marseille, where he made 36 appearances across all competitions in the 2025-2026 season [1, 2, 3]. The team statement said, "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 the World Cup," adding on social media, "Chin up, stay strong, and a speedy recovery, Flaco!" [1, 3].
Argentina have not yet named a replacement for Balerdi [1, 2, 3]. The squad already includes centre backs Lisandro Martínez, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, and Facundo Medina [3]. Potential replacements under consideration include Marcos Senesi and Lucas Martínez Quarta, both of whom have appeared for Argentina in 2026 matches [3].
Argentina are set to open their Group J campaign against Algeria on June 16, followed by games against Austria and Jordan [1, 2]. The team’s friendly match against Honduras took place on the day Balerdi’s injury was announced, June 6 [1, 2].
