Gianluca Prestianni

ANALYSIS
Prestianni was included in recent Argentina squads but the worldwide extension of the UEFA suspension, which stemmed from an incident involving Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match in Lisbon, made his inclusion unworkable given that he would miss the opening two games. The coach preferred to select players available from the very first match, and the reputational concerns surrounding Prestianni's presence at the tournament following the homophobic conduct finding were also considered a factor in the decision. The Benfica forward had denied allegations of racial abuse but the investigation concluded that homophobic insults had been directed at the Real Madrid winger, resulting in the ban that has ultimately ended his World Cup aspirations this summer.