Martínez's finger injury casts doubt over Argentina ahead of Algeria clash

Argentina enters the 2026 World Cup with a major concern: the physical condition of Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez. The Aston Villa goalkeeper, a cornerstone of the Albiceleste since the 2022 World Cup triumph, showed worrying signs during the public training session in Kansas City, less than 48 hours before the tournament’s opening match against Algeria, scheduled for Wednesday at 3am.

Martínez is suffering from a right-hand finger injury sustained before the tournament began. During the session, he initially participated in exercises wearing his gloves, before partially stopping work due to visible discomfort. He finished the session in a reduced capacity, and several grimaces were observed when removing his gloves, heightening concerns about his physical state.

Faced with this situation, the Argentine staff would favour caution and avoid taking any risks with their number one goalkeeper. No official decision had been made at the time of reporting.

Should Martínez be ruled out, it would be Gerónimo Rulli, Olympique de Marseille’s goalkeeper, who would start against the Greens. An experienced option, but one that would force manager Lionel Scaloni to rethink his plans for an already crucial opening match. Argentina, the defending world champions, are in a competitive group and cannot afford to stumble in the first round.