For Argentina, The final stretch towards the World Cup goes through its most sinuous stretch. After the misstep on the FIFA date against Mauritania, the win against Zambia seemed to put that bad experience behind us and re-align the team and the public behind a central objective. However, what came next once again filled the outlook with uncertainty: this Monday it was confirmed that Christian Romeroleader of the defense and fundamental pillar in Lionel Scaloni’s team, He will be out of the field for between six and eight weeks. due to a grade 1 injury to the internal collateral ligament of the right knee. In this way, the Cordoban would arrive at the World Cup at the limit, possibly without filming, which forces the coaching staff to review the list of 26 footballers that had practically been defined. Although Cuti would keep his place, The question now is whether or not to add one more center back to the squad..
Although medical studies did not show the worst result –a ligament tear was fearedwhich would have involved six to eight months of recovery – the truth is that one of the strongholds of the champion generation in Qatar will not arrive in optimal conditions for the World Cup premiere, for which there are just over two months left. He will not play for Tottenham again and It would not be available for the FIFA date in June either.which will be played with the squad already settled in the United States and will serve for the coach to give the team a feel before the debut against Algeria, on June 16, at Arrowhead Stadium, in Kansas.
It is worth remembering: Romero suffered a severe blow this Sunday, during the second half of Spurs’ 1-0 defeat against Sunderland. Pursued by Brian Brobbey, he tried to cover the ball to facilitate the exit of the goalkeeper, Antonín Kinský, but, when pushed by the rival striker, he ended up hitting his teammate in the face with his knee, who stopped him in his tracks and unintentionally caused the collision: Cuti left the court in tears and retired with difficultyalthough without the need for a stretcher. this monday It was seen in a viral video walking down the street and with a bandage on his knee, while receiving a message from an Arsenal fan: “Good luck with the championship,” in reference to the second category competition in England.
Scaloni made it clear that, when competing in a competition of the caliber of a World Cup, there cannot be advantages of any kind: in 2022, he dismissed Nicolás González and Joaquín Correa, who did not reach 100% of their capabilities and, although they were in Doha with the team, they were not taken into account.
On this occasion, due to the weight that Romero has within the team, Everything indicates that the 27-year-old footballer will be among those chosenalthough it will be necessary to evaluate options that were not in the plans, such as, for example, using one of the places designated for midfield to reinforce the last line.
In principle, Scaloni’s intention is to have five defendersthe same amount as in Qatar 2022. In that Cup, those chosen were Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Germán Pezzella, Lisandro Martínez and one who could fulfill the double role of center back and winger: Juan Foyth, who is currently recovering from a ruptured left Achilles tendon and was left out of the coach’s consideration.
Instead of Pezzella, who, after the 2024 Copa América, almost had no opportunities again, appears Leonardo Balerdi as the main candidate to replace the Bahiense, despite the fact that he has not had as many opportunities to play -nine games, four as a starter- since he could not be in the March friendlies due to a discomfort in his right calf.
Foyth’s successor, meanwhile, would emerge from the bidding between Marcos Senesi, Facundo Medina and Lucas Martínez Quarta. At least one will make up the final roster, although, if Romero arrives with just enough, Scaloni does not rule out strengthening that sector.
The coach has already defined a large part of the base that will compete in the World Cup. Discounting that Juan Musso will be the third goalkeeper and that Valentín Barco finished establishing himself in the last call – in which, in addition to scoring a goal against Zambia, he was highly praised by the coach himself -, There would only be two positions left to be defined: an alternative for Nicolás Tagliafico at left back, with Marcos Acuña and Gabriel Rojas as main candidates; and another for a steering wheel: Giovani Lo Celsowho reappeared this weekend in Betis after 80 days of inactivity; Franco Mastantuonoof irregular present in Real Madrid, or Gianluca Prestianniwho, although he did not add minutes with the national team, would contribute a different characteristic. In any case, Romero’s situation could reconfigure the map of the call.
In this context, an eventual summons from Medina could offer a comprehensive solution, given that, like Lisandro Martínez, the Marseille defender He can act as both a central defender and a left back.which would allow the last line to be strengthened and, in turn, keep the space available for a midfielder. The former Talleres had missed summons throughout the process: he accumulated six substitutes, started against Indonesia and Colombia and added three entries from the bench.
Although she was out at the end of 2025 due to a sprained right ankle, she seems to have lost ground, and on the last FIFA date her place was taken by Martínez Quarta, a player who reappeared in the national team after almost two years away.
When it came to forming the pre-list of 55 footballers that the coaching staff had already submitted to the AFA, prior to the friendlies with Mauritania and Zambia – and which did not come to light -, Scaloni also considered variants such as Agustín Giaywhom he projects as a stopper in a hypothetical line of three; Tomas Palacioswho had his first summons but did not add minutes; Lautaro Riverowhich debuted in October against Puerto Rico and failed to maintain the level; and Mariano Troilotoday in Parma, which was part of the call for the qualifiers against Chile and Colombia in 2025, although it did not have minutes either.
There is one piece of information that organizes the planning: when the deadline to present the list expires, Saturday, May 30, Romero will take six weeks and six days of recoveryso Scaloni will have a clearer picture of his set-up and will have some margin to analyze alternatives. In case it doesn’t make it to the debut, The one who would take his place among the eleven would be Lisandro Martínez, with Otamendi running to the right. That formula has already started in four games: against Chile, in the qualifiers in 2022; against the United Arab Emirates, in the run-up to the World Cup in Qatar; against Mexico, in the group stage; and against Guatemala, in a friendly played in 2024, in Washington. Otamendi is suspended for the World Cup debut, but FIFA could “clear” the cards of all those who must comply due to an expulsion.
The curious thing was that this Monday Lisandro Martínez -after standing out in a play for avoiding a goal on the line of his goal- was sent off at Manchester United against Leeds for pulling the hair of striker Calvert-Lewin, a measure taken by referee Paul Tierney after reviewing the play in the VAR.
For Scaloni, now is the time to assimilate the blow and, in the meantime, begin to examine variants. Because a loss like Cuti Romero’s changes much more than the starting eleven: it alters the heart of a defense designed to fight for the title.
