Lionel Scaloni expressed complete confidence in Argentina’s depth between the posts as the coaching staff monitors a finger injury sustained by starting goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Argentina’s undisputed No. 1, Emiliano Martinez, sparked heavy concern within the national team’s camp after admitting he played through the recent UEFA Europa League final with a broken finger. Amid the sudden injury cloud, manager Lionel Scaloni made a point to publicly back his reserve goalkeepers while the medical staff monitors the Aston Villa star’s recovery timeline ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
“We are hoping his injury heals quickly, and we are waiting for him with open arms because he is incredibly important to this group,” Scaloni stated during an interview with DSports. “In any case, we have guys on the roster whom we trust completely, but there is no denying that Emiliano is fundamental to our system”.
While Argentina have yet to officially lock in their final 26-man World Cup roster, Scaloni’s broader goalkeeper pool has plenty of coverage. Beyond Martinez, the manager included Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso, Walter Benitez, Facundo Cambeses, and highly-rated youngster Santiago Beltran on his preliminary 55-man provisional list submitted to FIFA.
Out of that group, three goalkeepers will ultimately punch their ticket to North America. Recent reports indicate that the up-and-coming Beltran stands a serious chance of securing a spot, either as the official third-string keeper or as the designated training sparring partner to work alongside the veterans.
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In fact, Beltran is already one of six players formally confirmed to be part of the expanded 30-plus-man squad selected for Argentina’s upcoming World Cup warm-up matches on US soil. The reigning champions are scheduled to face Honduras on June 6 before wrapping up their tournament preparations against Iceland on June 9.
Martinez likely ruled out for June friendlies
While Santiago Beltran is locked in for the upcoming exhibition matches, Martinez will almost certainly sit them out. Renowned Argentine soccer insider Gaston Edul confirmed that while “Dibu’s” finger fracture will not require surgery, it does carry a mandatory recovery period of roughly 20 days.
As a result, Martinez was already left out of Aston Villa’s Premier League season finale—where his side secured a massive 2-1 victory over Manchester City—and he will be probably rested through the June international window to ensure he is fully fit for the World Cup opener.
Argentina’s 2026 World Cup group stage schedule
The reigning world champions enter the tournament as the top-seeded heavyweight in Group J. Argentina will officially launch their title defense on Tuesday, June 16, squaring off against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Following the opener, the Albiceleste will relocate to Texas to play their remaining two group fixtures at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. They will clash with Austria on Monday, June 22, before closing out the opening round against tournament debutants Jordan on Saturday, June 27, aiming to comfortably book their spot in the newly formatted Round of 32.