Argentina and Switzerland faced off in a highly anticipated World Cup quarterfinal match on Saturday night, July 12th, 2026, in Kansas City, United States. The Lionel Messi-led Argentina team, aiming to win its second consecutive World Cup, overcame a resilient Swiss side that reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954 after defeating Colombia on penalties.

The match began with Argentina asserting early offensive pressure. In the 10th minute, shortly after Lionel Messi’s corner kick sailed past the goal, Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring for the reigning champions. Argentina maintained slight control of possession throughout the game, but Switzerland matched their intensity and created several scoring chances.

Switzerland’s persistence paid off in the 67th minute when Dan Ndoye leveled the score at 1-1, surprising the predominantly pro-Argentina crowd. However, Ndoye received his second yellow card of the match shortly after, resulting in his dismissal and leaving Switzerland to compete with just 10 players for the remainder of the game.

Argentina capitalized on the numerical advantage, extending their lead to 3-1 as added time began. The decisive moment came in the 112th minute when Julian Alvarez scored the winning goal, sending Argentina into the World Cup semifinals.

Notably, Lionel Messi did not score in this match, ending his remarkable nine-game scoring streak that began at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Despite this, Argentina’s offensive strength and resilience ensured their progression in the tournament.

The victory sets up a highly anticipated semifinal showdown between Argentina and England in Atlanta. Both teams will now prepare for what promises to be a fiercely contested match as Argentina continues its quest for back-to-back World Cup titles.

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