Scaloni's Last-Minute Defensive Change as Senesi Steps Up

Argentina’s World Cup preparations have taken an early hit, and Lionel Scaloni has had to rip up part of his plan.

Leonardo Balerdi, pencilled in as a key defensive option, suffered a severe muscle tear in his right leg during training, ruling him out of the tournament before a ball has even been kicked. The injury, to the soleus in his right calf, forced Scaloni into an unwanted reshuffle and a race against time to settle on a replacement.

He refused to rush it. The coaching staff parked any immediate decision and used a pre-tournament friendly against Iceland as a live audition, testing shapes, partnerships and contingency plans with the clock ticking down. Only after that game did Scaloni move.

The call went to Marcos Senesi.

On standby and waiting in the background, the 29-year-old has now been summoned to fill the void and is travelling to join the camp in Kansas City, where Argentina are fine-tuning their title bid. For Balerdi, it is a brutal twist. For Senesi, it is the kind of opening that can tilt a career.

The national team confirmed the diagnosis and the change of plans through social media and press conferences, laying out the medical reality and the selection logic in stark terms: “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.”

Scaloni then shed light on the internal debate that followed. “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,” he said, underlining how heavily the staff weighed the decision.

The pressure finally told, and Senesi’s name came to the top of the list.

For him, it caps a monumental 24 hours. He has only three caps for Argentina, yet suddenly finds himself thrust into a World Cup defence of the title, stepping into one of the most scrutinised squads on the planet.

His story adds another layer to this Albiceleste back line. The former Bournemouth defender once turned down a call-up from Italy, backing himself to break into Argentina’s plans instead. Now that gamble has paid off at the highest level.

Off the pitch, his club future is already mapped out. Senesi has agreed a free transfer to Tottenham from July 1, where he will reunite with Cristian Romero, this time not just as international colleagues but as club team-mates as well. The pair, who first shared an Argentina back line when Senesi debuted against Estonia in 2022, could soon form a familiar partnership on two fronts.

For Scaloni, the setback is clear: losing a planned squad member so late always hurts. For Senesi, the opportunity is just as obvious. A World Cup, a move to the Premier League, and a place in a star-studded Albiceleste defence — all converging at once.

What he does with it now will shape not only Argentina’s depth at this tournament, but the next chapter of his own career.