Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez Cleared to Play Against Algeria in World Cup Opener

Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has been declared fit to participate in the World Cup 2026 opener against Algeria on Tuesday, according to reports.

The Aston Villa goalkeeper suffered a finger injury during the warm-up prior to the Europa League final on May 20. Despite the injury, he played in Villa’s 3-0 victory in Istanbul but missed the final Premier League match of the season against Manchester City.

The 33-year-old was also absent from Argentina’s two World Cup warm-up matches against Honduras and Iceland, allowing Juan Musso and Geronimo Rulli to gain valuable experience.

© Iconsport / Sandra Ruhaut.

Martinez Ready for Algeria Match

According to Gaston Edul, Martinez will be ready to start against Algeria, meaning Musso and Rulli will likely remain on the bench. The goalkeeper has passed all necessary medical tests, although he will need to protect his injured finger during the match.

Further updates from ESPN indicate that Martinez participated in Thursday’s training session wearing both gloves. He has recently adapted his training regimen to accommodate his injury by using only one glove.

© Imago / PHOTOxPHOTO.

Paredes Returns for Argentina Training

Boca Juniors midfielder Leandro Paredes is also expected to be available for the match in Kansas City after missing recent friendlies due to a hamstring injury sustained before joining the national team.

However, Argentina will not have Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi available due to a calf injury. In response, Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni has called up new Tottenham Hotspur defender Marcos Senesi as Balerdi’s replacement.