The great presence of Santiago Beltrán at River has already started to have an impact on the Argentine National Team. The 21-year-old goalkeeper appears in thepre-list of 55 players compiled by Lionel Scaloni for the 2026 World Cup and the chances of him being part of the final delegation traveling to the tournament are increasing.
With Emiliano Martínez and Gerónimo Rulli practically secured among the call-ups, the main question revolves around the third goalkeeper. In that competition, Beltrán is up against experienced names like Juan Musso, Walter Benítez, and Facundo Cambeses. However, beyond the fight to officially make the 26-man list, the Albiceleste is also considering a different alternative for the young player from Millonario: incorporating him as a sparring, a role similar to what Federico Gomes Gerth fulfilled during Qatar 2022.
In that scenario, Beltrán would travel with the squad as player number 27, participate in training, and could be activated in case of injury to any of the goalkeepers called up before the deadline set by FIFA for replacements. This possibility has been evaluated for some time and is not related to the physical condition of Dibu Martínez, who recently revealed that he played injured in the final of the Europa League with Aston Villa, although he would arrive without problems for the World Cup.
Beltrán could be part of the delegation of the National Team that travels to the World Cup as a sparring partner.
If he is ultimately included in the delegation, the Buenos Aires native would first play the final of the 2026 Apertura Tournament with River against Belgrano and then join the National Team's activities. In that case, Eduardo Coudet could do without him for the last commitment of Millonario in the Sudamericana Cup against Blooming.
Nonetheless, the situation presents an important detail: since he would be a sparring and not an official call-up, the Núñez club is not obligated by regulations to release the player. Therefore, any decision must be agreed upon between the team, the player, and the AFA, especially since Beltrán could miss part of the preseason that the team will conduct in Spain.
The final list of the Argentine National Team must be submitted before May 30, and only then will it be known whether the goalkeeper manages to make it among the 26 chosen or if he will accompany the group as support during the World Cup.
Beltrán's numbers at River
Since his debut in the first team, the young goalkeeper from Buenos Aires has played 2,141 minutes, spread over 24 matches, of which he finished 12 without conceding a goal, while in the rest he conceded 15 goals. Additionally, he received no yellow cards, but did receive one red card (against Carabobo in Venezuela for the Sudamericana Cup).
