Marcos Senesi joins Argentina's 2026 World Cup squad after a surprise call-up

Marcos Senesi, Tottenham defender, has long dreamed of playing at the World Cup. Now his dream is coming true as he was called up to Argentina's 2026 World Cup squad at the last minute. This happened after Leonardo Balerdi suffered a muscle injury that ruled him out of the tournament. Senesi flew to the United States, where he joined the national team in Kansas City. In an interview with _ESPN Mundial_ at the airport in Missouri, Senesi expressed his support for Balerdi: "I would like to send my warmest regards to 'Flaco'. It's a difficult situation for him and I wish him a speedy recovery." Senesi also did not hide his joy at being selected for the World Championships. "I'm very happy about this opportunity and I'm going to enjoy every moment. It's a childhood dream come true when I started playing football in the backyard."  The defender admitted that he was always ready, training and waiting for his chance. "I was training, waiting for my chance," revealed Senesi, adding that he was on holiday in Ibiza when he received the call-up. "I had no contact with anyone until the last minute. There is always hope and I'm glad it came true," he said. Argentina will start its 2026 World Cup adventure with a match against Algeria, and Senesi will have the chance to play in his first World Cup match. --- ## Related Articles 1. [Análise: por que a Seleção Brasileira deve adotar a defesa com cinco no Mundial](https://torcidanet.live/pt/news/analise-por-que-a-selecao-brasileira-deve-adotar-a-defesa-com-cinco-no-mundial) 2. [2026 World Cup](https://khidarikhabran.com/khabran/13-2026-11-2026-)