Good news if you like the idea of Tottenham Hotspur players participating in major international football tournaments! The Argentine federation announced today that newly-signed Spurs central defender Marcos Senesi has been called up to La Albiceleste today, just in the nick of time.
Senesi is being called up to replace Leo Balerdi, who picked
up an injury in training and was forced to withdraw. There was a suggestion as recent as yesterday that Argentina would choose to bolster their attacking options instead of calling up a defender to replace a defender, but instead Senesi got the call, which is probably good for both him and Argentina. Senesi is probably flying to Kansas City right now to join his teammates. Let’s hope USA accepts his visa.
It was a little weird that he was left out to begin with — I’m not totally familiar with the politics of the Argentine Football Federation, but going into a World Cup with a (slightly) shorthanded defense usually isn’t a good sign. So I’m glad Marcos is getting the nod. No idea how much (or if) he’ll play, but I would like to imagine him starting a match beside his (current) Spurs teammate Cuti Romero. Wouldn’t that be neat? I think that’d be neat.
Argentina are in Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and Jordan. They’re already one of the favorites to win the World Cup for the second straight tournament, and this group shouldn’t give them too much difficulty. La Albiceleste opens their World Cup on June 16 vs. Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
