Alarm bells blared across Argentina after Emiliano Martinez admitted to playing through a broken finger during the Europa League final—a devastating revelation coming less than a month before the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup.
However, massive relief has arrived for Lionel Scaloni and his coaching staff. According to Argentine national team insider Gaston Edul, medical scans revealed that while Martinez suffered a hairline fracture in his finger, the injury will not require surgery.
Consequently, the Aston Villa goalkeeper faces a recovery timeline of roughly 20 days, effectively ensuring he will be cleared in time for Argentina‘s highly anticipated World Cup opener.
The defending World Cup champions are scheduled to launch their title defense in North America on Tuesday, June 16, when they square off against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium.
Emiliano Martínez of Argentina. (Getty Images)
Which matches will Martinez miss?
While Martinez is projected to be fully fit for the tournament in North America, his recovery timeline rules him out of action for the immediate fixtures leading up to the World Cup.
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As he nurses his broken finger, “Dibu” will sit out Aston Villa’s final Premier League match of the season, where they are set to host Manchester City. Furthermore, he will be sidelined for Argentina’s upcoming warm-up friendlies.
Scaloni’s men are tuning up to face Honduras on June 6 at Kyle Field in their first World Cup preparation match. Three days later, the reigning world champions will wrap up their pre-tournament slate against Iceland at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
