It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t pretty. And it certainly won’t help quiet the conspiracy theories. But Argentina made it six wins from six at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after edging Switzerland 3-1 in a feisty night in Kansas City.
“We fought until the end and left it all out on the pitch, we’re scoring goals at the end of matches, so as long as we keep winning, it’s all positive,” stated Julián Álvarez after the match.
"Obviously you have to suffer - you have to know how to suffer. That's how the matches are playing out right now."
Argentina had to 'suffer' to book semi-final spot with England
After three straight matches in Vancouver which culminated in a penalty shootout win versus Colombia, Switzerland faced off against an Argentina side coming off the back of from two heart-palpitating victories against Cape Verde and Egypt.
When Alexis Mac Allister headed home from Lionel Messi’s corner kick in the 10th minute, it seemed that the Albiceleste were headed for a straightforward affair. But Switzerland had other plans.
Instead, the Swiss held firm in their disciplined defensive setup, and eventually gained control in the second half. Murat Yakin’s side forced Argentina deep into their own half and gave Emiliano Martínez plenty to think about, eventually getting their just rewards via Dan Ndoye’s equaliser.
But Switzerland hardly had any time to celebrate their goal, as Breel Embolo was sent off for simulation shortly after. Without their two biggest attacking threats in Embolo and the injured Johan Manzambi, it seemed Switzerland would crack.
"We had to suffer a lot. We knew they were a physical team and that gave us a lot of trouble," said Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni. "Today we had luck on our side because one of their players was sent off. We could have played better but it's a big achievement to be in the semi-finals.”
Switzerland held their own and forced Scaloni into making extra time changes, with Thiago Almada, Nicolás Otamendi, and José Manuel ‘Flaco’ López coming on in the final half-hour. It was always going to take something truly special to open up this Swiss side, and that came not from Messi, but Álvarez, who launched a missile into the top-right corner in the 112th minute.
Lautaro Martínez sealed the deal in the final seconds, putting the finishing touches on a hard-fought victory. Now, they’ll face an England side eyeing their first trophy since 1966.
It is a matchup that carries significant historical weight owing to the 1982 Falklands War, and has resulted in some iconic moments such as Diego Maradona's 'Hand of God' in 1986, David Beckham’s expulsion in 1998 and redemption in 2002…not to mention a match from 1966 that Argentines still refer to as the ‘Robo del Siglo,’ or the ‘Robbery of the Century.”
“Obviously, inside and outside the four lines, it’s an encounter that has a lot of history…a lot of pain and other things behind it,” extra-time substitute López said after the match. “But we’re professionals and we’re going to play like we’ve done in every match: putting our lives on the line until the final second."
"A World Cup semi-final is a special match, the kind of match that me and all of my teammates have been dreaming of ever since we started kicking a ball. I don’t think we need any more motivation than that.”
