Argentina defender Leonardo Balerdi will not participate in this summer’s World Cup due to a right calf injury, the team announced ahead of Saturday night’s 2-0 friendly defeat of Honduras in College Station, Texas.
“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,” Argentina’s official X account shared in a post. “Chin up, stay strong, and a speedy recovery, Flaco!”
Balerdi, 27, has made 11 appearances for Argentina since his debut for the senior national team in 2019. He has never played in a World Cup but made seven appearances (three starts) during this cycle’s qualification process.
Serving as the captain for Marseille domestically, the center back was coming off a season where he made 36 appearances across all competitions. He’s made 153 appearances for Marseille since he was loaned to the club in 2020 and permanently acquired in 2021, scoring four goals.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni will be able to replace Balerdi on Argentina’s 26-man roster.
Also missing in action Saturday — although expected to be available for the World Cup — was Argentina superstar Lionel Messi. He exited his final Inter Miami match before the World Cup break on May 25 with muscle fatigue and did not participate in the first tune-up friendly.
Messi, who is on his sixth career World Cup squad, holds the record for World Cup appearances (26) and is three goals behind German Miroslav Klose’s record 16 World Cup tallies.
It remains to be seen if Messi gets into Argentina’s final pre-Cup friendly against Iceland on Tuesday in Auburn, Ala.
The team begins its 2022 World Cup defense in Group J play against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City, which is where the team has set up its base camp.
–Field Level Media
