Julian Alvarez trains normally before Argentina's World Cup debut
julian alvarez trained normally with Argentina on Saturday morning and now looks available for the World Cup opener after a severe right ankle sprain. He had been treated as a major doubt before this session, but he completed the work at the Compass Minerals National Center of Kansas and joined the squad’s full program.
Compass Minerals National Center
Álvarez took part in the traditional rondo, sprints, finishing drills, ball carrying and specific football work after a weather delay pushed the session back. He also ran at speed and even added an improvised sprint before Lionel Scaloni’s instructions, a clear sign that the ankle held up through a full training load.
The forward’s return changes Argentina’s attacking picture only hours before the debut. Before this training session, Lautaro Martínez had emerged as a serious option for the opener, but Álvarez’s presence now gives Scaloni another choice in a spot that looked in doubt because of the injury.
Origin Hotel in Kansas City
The recovery did not happen in one step. Álvarez suffered the severe right ankle sprain in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals, then went through special treatment that included platelet-rich plasma and specific exercises before joining the Argentina camp.
He was also active away from the pitch in Kansas City. On Wednesday morning, he held an intimate family gathering at the Origin Hotel, the Argentina team’s base, to celebrate Emilia Ferrero’s birthday with her and their son, Amadeo. On Saturday afternoon, Argentina players had free time to meet their families in the city, another sign that his day-to-day routine had returned to normal while the opener approached.
La Mona and number 9
Álvarez’s week also included a lighter moment when he handed his number 9 shirt to La Mona during a mini show at the hotel. La Mona later visited AFA Studio and sang his hits, a brief break from the physical work that had defined the build-up to this point.
That mix of family time, training and recovery leaves Argentina with a forward who looked headed for the sideline and is now back in the group. His social media message to Ferrero — “La mejor compañera. La mejor mamá. Y la misma persona increíble de la que me enamoré. Gracias por tanto amor, tanta paciencia y por hacer que nuestras vidas sean mejores cada día. Feliz cumpleaños, mi amor” — matched the tone of a player who had already moved past the worst of the ankle scare. Ferrero replied, “Mi mejor regalo son ustedes.”
