Emiliano Martinez back to full training before Argentina's World Cup opener

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez completed his first full training session with both gloves after recovering from a fractured ring finger sustained on May 20 during the warm‑up for Aston Villa’s Europa League final. The 33‑year‑old had previously trained with a splint and only one glove and missed the pre‑World Cup friendlies against Honduras and Iceland. Martinez is now expected to start in Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 opening match against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City. The Argentine Football Association also announced defender Leonardo Balerdi’s withdrawal with a calf injury and the call‑up of Marcos Senesi as his replacement. Martinez, a 2022 World Cup winner and 2022 Golden Glove recipient, was named in the Europa League Team of the Season after Villa’s victory in the competition.