The weather was a major topic of discussion during the other quarter-final match today. With a feels-like temperature nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 38 degrees Celsius), Miami issued an excessive heat warning for the Norway versus England game. Kansas City is also warm, with a kickoff temperature forecasted at 81 F (around 27 C), but the sun will have set by the time the match begins at 8 PM local time.
If you’re tuning in for a 2 AM or 3 AM kickoff in your region, we appreciate your dedication to the match! For those in different time zones, a warm good morning, especially to our Argentina supporters in Bangladesh. We’re glad to have you with us!
Andrew Goudie made an insightful remark regarding the tournament’s progression.
“So far, one former champion has gone out at each stage: Italy (Qualifiers), Uruguay (group stage), Germany (round of 32), Brazil (round of 16). Argentina are going out today.”
Marcio Lana-Lopez corrected my earlier misspelling of Alcides Ghiggia from Uruguay, who famously scored in all four of his matches during the 1950 World Cup. “He’s a true football hero in Uruguay, scored the final goal that exploded Brazilians’ hearts and minds in 1950’s World Cup, the famous Maracanazo.” he noted.
Argentina fans are no strangers to dramatic matches. In their victorious 2022 World Cup campaign, Argentina relinquished leads on four occasions, including twice in the final against France. This creates a compelling narrative but also brings emotional turmoil, raising questions about their approach.
Switzerland lacks the scoring potency they showcased earlier in the tournament, especially without Johan Manzambi. However, if they can find a way to penetrate Argentina’s defense, the match could become challenging for the South American side.
Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel may not have garnered as much attention as some of his peers in the tournament, but he has been quietly effective. With back-to-back clean sheets in the knockout stages and a total of 16 saves, he has proven himself invaluable. This tournament marks his first major run with Switzerland, stepping in for Yann Sommer after the 2024 Euros, yet he has experience from leading Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2024.
The victor of this encounter between Argentina and Switzerland will advance to face England in the semi-finals.
Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni has kept the same starting eleven that mounted a thrilling comeback against Egypt in the last 16. Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is set to make his 205th appearance for the national team.
Murat Yakin has made one alteration to the Swiss lineup that faced Colombia, replacing midfielder Ardon Jashari with Djibril Sow.
Argentina (likely formation 4-1-3-2): E Martinez; Tagliafico, L Martinez, Romero, Molina; Paredes; Fernandez, Mac Allister, De Paul; Alvarez, Messi.
Switzerland (likely formation 4-2-3-1): Kobel; Zakaria, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Ndoye, Sow, Rieder; Embolo.
Referee: João Pinheiro (Portugal).
Earlier in the tournament, Jonathan Wilson penned a piece I found particularly enjoyable: an interview with Luciana Alvarengue, the former math teacher of Enzo Fernández and Julián Alvarez in Buenos Aires.
Lionel Messi is enjoying a remarkable World Cup. He has become the all-time leading scorer in the men’s tournament, celebrated his 200th cap for Argentina, turned 39, delivered two exceptional performances, and has an ongoing goal streak that stretches across six knockout matches since the 2022 final.
For your watch party trivia, only two players in World Cup history have scored in every match of a tournament-winning campaign: Alcides Ghiggia of Uruguay in 1950 and Jairzinho of Brazil in 1970. Notably, they played fewer matches than Messi, with Ghiggia featuring in four and Jairzinho in six.
Argentina and Switzerland have clashed seven times previously, with the Swiss yet to secure a victory.
A notable encounter took place during the 2014 World Cup round of 16, where Argentina triumphed in extra time on their way to the final. Both Lionel Messi, Granit Xhaka, and Ricardo Rodriguez participated in that match and are set to play again today.
How does Xhaka plan to contain Messi?
“Football is this, not just tactics and strategies,”
Argentina will need to rely on Lionel Messi and much more to overcome Switzerland. They must maintain high intensity throughout the match, avoiding the tendency to lean on momentum alone, as they have occasionally done this summer. Yet, many fans appreciate this unpredictable energy that characterizes the Argentina squad. Perhaps Lionel Scaloni shares this sentiment.
“Those things are important, no doubt, but if we hadn’t had the heart we had, we would’ve been out.” he expressed, his voice filled with emotion after the Egypt match. “Those things are important, no doubt, but if we hadn’t had the heart we had, we would’ve been out.”
In the other quarter-final, Jude Bellingham has put England ahead.
We are eagerly awaiting the team news for Argentina versus Switzerland, with just over 90 minutes until kickoff in Kansas City.
In Miami, the temperature rises as Norway and England head into extra time in the other quarter-final. Scott Murray will provide all the updates.
Welcome to the fourth and final quarter-final of this World Cup!
Argentina versus Switzerland – the reigning champions against the underdogs. A clash between a team with three World Cups and one that has yet to reach the last four. A contest of structured processes against emotional unpredictability. A place in Wednesday’s semi-final against either Norway or England in Atlanta is at stake. Should Argentina prevail, they will remain on track to become the first team ever to claim back-to-back World Cup titles. Conversely, a Swiss victory would mark their best showing in a major tournament and ensure an all-European final four.
How did we arrive at this point? After an impressive group stage, Argentina faced two significant challenges in the knockout rounds: first against Cape Verde in a tense extra-time thriller in the last 32, followed by a dramatic encounter against Egypt in the last 16. They needed last-minute heroics and benefitted from an own goal in the former match to avoid what could have been an unprecedented upset. In the latter, they found themselves trailing 2-0 until the 79th minute, when Lionel Messi led a remarkable turnaround, propelling his team into the quarter-finals.
Switzerland has reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1954. After winning Group B, they overcame Algeria in the last 32 and then triumphed in a nail-biting last-16 match against Colombia, advancing on penalties. Their experienced core has excelled in knockout football lately, but much of their success this tournament has been attributed to the stellar play of 20-year-old Johan Manzambi, who has three goals and two assists in just two matches. Unfortunately, he is sidelined again due to a knee injury, having missed the last-16 match as well.
Will Switzerland achieve an upset? Can Messi conjure his magic once more? Stay tuned for team news shortly. Meanwhile, feel free to send your thoughts to ella.brockway@ and keep an eye on the conclusion of the Norway versus England match, which appears to be heading for extra time.
- World Cup 2026
- World Cup
- Argentina
- Switzerland
