Argentina Star Set to Miss 2026 FIFA World Cup With Serious Knee Injury
- Argentina have suffered a major injury setback ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with a star player ruled out after tearing his ACL
- The injury requires surgery and an estimated six to eight months of rehabilitation, making it impossible for him to recover in time for the tournament
- The setback adds to Argentina’s growing injury concerns, with Juan Foyth already sidelined and several other key players currently nursing fitness issues
As Lionel Messi and Argentina gear up to defend their FIFA World Cup crown at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the squad has been dealt a significant blow.
A key attacking talent has sustained a devastating injury that will rule him out of contention for this summer’s global showpiece.
Source: Getty Images
Argentina star ruled out of World Cup
The player affected is Racing Club forward Valentín Carboni, who suffered a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and a partial tear of the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his right knee during a training session with the national team.
The serious diagnosis was confirmed by Racing Club in an official statement shared on X, which said the forward will undergo surgery in the coming days after tests revealed the severity of the injury.
“In Friday’s training session, Valentín Carboni suffered a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and a partial rupture of the lateral collateral ligament of the right knee. The player will undergo surgery in the coming days“.
Although the club did not outline an exact recovery timeline, such ligament injuries typically require six to eight months of rehabilitation, effectively ending his hopes of participating in the 2026 World Cup under manager Lionel Scaloni.
This setback marks the second significant knee injury of Carboni’s young career. In October 2024, he suffered a similar ACL rupture in his left knee during a training session with the Argentina setup ahead of World Cup qualifiers, an injury that sidelined him for around eight months while he was on loan at Olympique de Marseille from Inter Milan.
He eventually made his return to competitive action with Inter during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, but never regained a settled run of form before moving to Racing on loan in January 2026.
Source: Getty Images
Carboni isn’t the only Albiceleste player ruled out ahead of the tournament. Defender Juan Foyth has already been confirmed as unavailable after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon while representing Villarreal CF against Real Madrid CF in La Liga earlier this year.
While neither Carboni nor Foyth were guaranteed starters for Scaloni’s World Cup squad, both had featured in recent call-ups and were widely seen as viable options for Argentina’s attacking and defensive plans.
Carboni in particular had been viewed as one of the nation’s brightest emerging talents, having already won honours with Argentina - including during the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa América.
The injury crisis doesn’t end with those two. Argentina’s coaching team are anxiously awaiting updates on several other key players currently sidelined with injuries, including midfielders Giovani Lo Celso, Nicolás González, Nicolás Tagliafico, Leandro Paredes, and forwards Lautaro Martínez and Lisandro Martínez, all of whom are dealing with separate fitness issues.
As Argentina continues its preparations for the defence of its World Cup title, these injury setbacks present a significant challenge for Scaloni. With less than five months to go until the tournament kick-off, the manager will be under pressure to finalise a squad capable of navigating the demanding conditions of three host nations while compensating for the absence of key contributors.
The team’s current injury situation will remain one of the major storylines heading into the summer, as Messi and his teammates strive to defend the crown they secured in Qatar in 2022 — a feat that would solidify Argentina’s status as one of the greatest sides in modern football history.
5 MLS milestones Messi can achieve
In another report, YEN.com.gh highlighted five Major League Soccer records that Lionel Messi could realistically break this season.
One major milestone is becoming the first player to win three MLS MVP awards - a record that would be hard to surpass anytime soon.
Source: YEN.com.gh
