Argentina pick Marcos Senesi as Leonardo Balerdi's replacement for World Cup squad
Marcos Senesi enjoyed an impressive 2025-26 season with the Cherries.
Argentina has picked Marcos Senesi as an alternative for the injured Leonardo Balerdi for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The tournament has already started, with Mexico registering competition’s first win (2-0) against South Africa.
Marseille centre-back Balerdi, who was expected to take part in his first World Cup, sustained a calf injury on his right leg last week.
Marcos Senesi will now be part of the defending champions’ squad ahead of their 2026 WC debut encounter against Algeria on June 16.
Senesi had an exceptional 2025-26 season for Premier League team AFC Bournemouth, becoming a key character in establishing club history. The Cherries will now prepare to compete in European club competition for the first time next season.
Marcos Senesi set for his first World Cup appearance
Marcos Senesi, a 29-year-old with three international appearances, will join Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur after his contract with Bournemouth expires on 30 June.
Senesi missed only one 2025-26 Premier League game and helped Bournemouth achieve European qualification after finishing sixth.
The reigning champions begin their Group J campaign against Algeria on Tuesday, then face Austria and Jordan.
Senesi is of Italian descent and hence entitled to wear the colours of Azzurri. But he decided to play for Argentina at the international level instead.
He made his official debut in a friendly against Estonia. He has since played only two more matches, none of which were competitive.
He played the entire 90 minutes in a 1-0 win over Venezuela on October 10 last year. His most recent appearance was on March 27 against Mauritania at La Bombonera.
Senesi had a busy 24 hours. He will join Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer when his contract with Bournemouth expires on July 1. He will now join Cristian Romero as Spurs’ Argentine representatives in the World Cup.
Which injury did Leonardo Balerdi suffer?
Calf injury.
When is Argentina’s first game?
17 June, 6:30 am IST.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.
After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.