Disaster for Argentina. National team star suffers serious injury and will miss the World Cup

The Argentina national team has been dealt a crushing blow right in the midst of preparations for the most important tournament of the four-year cycle.

Details: According to Foot Mercato, Marseille's central defender Leonardo Balerdi sustained a severe injury during a training session with the Albiceleste. The defender left the pitch early accompanied by medical staff, and the initial prognosis from doctors is extremely alarming.

• See also: Champions' momentum versus attacking crisis: prediction for Argentina vs Honduras - 07.06.2026

This news is a personal tragedy for the player: the 27-year-old Marseille defensive leader was on the verge of realizing his biggest dream, preparing to make his debut at the World Cup.

Now, however, according to preliminary reports, Balerdi is highly likely to miss the 2026 World Cup. The severity of the injury leaves him with almost no chance of recovering in time.

This season, the Argentine defender played 36 matches for Marseille across all competitions, scoring one goal and providing one assist.

For the record: Lionel Messi has returned to training with Argentina.