Argentina faces a setback ahead of their match against Paraguay, with some unfortunate news impacting the squad.

Medina has made just three appearances for Argentina so far, with his only start coming in the June match against Indonesia last year. There's uncertainty about whether he will feature in the starting XI for Argentina again this year. 

The defender traveled from France to Argentina on short notice after being called up to the national team. This season, Medina has played 11 matches for French club Lens, where the team is currently in 7th place in Ligue 1. He earned his place in the national squad by beating out Bournemouth’s Marco Senesi, largely due to his versatility in defense. Medina can play both as a left center-back and a left-back.

Argentina will face Paraguay next Friday morning, Bangladesh time, followed by a home match against Peru five days later. With 22 points from 10 matches and seven wins, Lionel Scaloni's side leads the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.


However, Argentina's squad has been hit with unfortunate news ahead of their match against Paraguay. The increasing demands of the club football calendar, with more games in both the Champions League and Europa League this season, have taken a toll on player fitness. Injuries are becoming a growing concern as a result, with one of the latest casualties being Lisandro Martínez. The Manchester United defender had been called up for the World Cup qualifiers but will miss the upcoming matches due to injury. The Argentine Football Association confirmed the injury occurred during United’s recent Premier League match against Leicester City, though details on the injury have not been disclosed. Martínez has been a regular for Argentina, appearing in 10 of their 14 matches this year and playing a key role in their World Cup-winning squad in 2022. In his absence, Facundo Medina has been called up as his replacement.