Scaloni Confirms Player Out of World Cup; Julian Alvarez Not Ready

Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni revealed that he has not yet finalized the replacement for Leonardo Balerdi in the World Cup squad. He emphasized that the team's identity and playing style remain unaffected following their friendly victory over Honduras as part of their World Cup preparations.

Speaking after the match, Scaloni told the Argentine network "Olé": "When I sat in the press conference room, we hoped Balerdi's injury was not as severe as everyone feared. However, he is suffering from an injury to the soleus muscle and must be excluded because he does not meet the minimum fitness required to assist us. I had to speak with him and inform him that we could not rely on him. I have known him since the under-20 national team, and I already spoke to him; it was unfortunate, and the whole group was affected by what happened to him."

He added, "I still do not know who will be the replacement. We are not at 100% fitness with many players, and this decision might not be limited to choosing just a central defender. What happened to Balerdi was very unlucky, and we will not rush the decision because haste could lead to a wrong choice."

Scaloni continued, "When we entered the pitch, I told the players there was no option but to give everything for the national team jersey. It was a match that involved a lot of effort."

Regarding Nicolas Paz and Julian Alvarez, he said, "The first is ready and available, while we are waiting for the discomfort in the ankle of the second to subside."

He further explained, "It's not that we Argentines are different, but the truth is that when we step onto the field, it is very difficult for players to control themselves. What happened to Balerdi could happen and unfortunately did, but I always tell the players to leave everything on the pitch. Despite everything, the footballer is very noble; he closes his eyes and moves forward."

Scaloni concluded, "Are we going to repeat what we did in the Qatar World Cup? We are not thinking about repeating it. If success comes, it will come. If it doesn't, we must remain calm because we gave our all."