Argentina are gearing up to defend their crown at the 2026 World Cup, with their Group J opener scheduled against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City. Amid the preparations, manager Lionel Scaloni received a major boost as both Julian Alvarez and Cristian Romero have fully recovered from their physical setbacks ahead of the tournament in North America.
“Players Cristian Romero and Julian Alvarez trained normally alongside the rest of the squad during Monday’s session and are now fully at the disposal of the coaching staff moving forward,” the Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced in an official medical update.
With the medical green light, both players have rejoined full team training and could see minutes in Argentina’s upcoming pre-World Cup friendlies against Honduras on Saturday, June 6, and Iceland on Tuesday, June 9.
Romero returns after sidelined for nearly two months with a knee sprain suffered on April 12. The Tottenham defender had the area immobilized during his rehabilitation, forcing him to miss Spurs’ final six Premier League matches as the club successfully avoided relegation.
Alvarez‘s injury involved an ankle issue that forced him to play through pain using painkilling injections during the final stretch of Atletico Madrid’s season. The forward subsequently missed the conclusion of the La Liga campaign, having last played on May 5 during Atletico’s Champions League semifinal defeat against Arsenal.
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Nico Paz nearing return
In addition to the returns of Alvarez and Romero, Scaloni is close to receiving another squad boost as young midfielder Nico Paz nears a return to full training after overcoming a knee issue.
According to Argentina national team insider Martin Arevalo, Paz is scheduled to test his knee in regular training sessions starting today. The Como 1907 midfielder has been out since May 10 after suffering a minor fracture on the edge of his knee during a Serie A fixture against Hellas Verona.
Scaloni awaits further medical clearance
While several key figures are reintegrating into the squad, a few players remain on the injury report. Goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez is recovering from a minor fracture in the ring finger of his right hand; he will sit out the upcoming friendlies and faces a race against time to be fully fit for the World Cup opener.
Midfielder Leandro Paredes is in a similar situation after sustaining a right hamstring tear, leaving his availability for the June 16 clash against Algeria in doubt.
Meanwhile, captain Lionel Messi is managing muscular overload; while he is expected to be rested for the friendlies, his presence for the tournament opener is not considered to be at risk.
