Argentina and Switzerland are competing in a World Cup 2026 quarter-final match today in Kansas City. The winner of this match will advance to face England in the semi-finals, following England’s 2-1 victory over Norway. The semi-final fixture is scheduled for Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET in Atlanta.
The match kicked off with a moment of silence in tribute to South Africa player Jayden Adams, who recently passed away at the age of 25 after participating in this World Cup. The atmosphere at Arrowhead Stadium was marked by a haze from pre-kick-off fireworks under a clear Missouri sky.
Lionel Messi is leading Argentina’s quest for another knockout victory. Argentina, the defending champions, are looking to continue their unbeaten run in the tournament. They secured a narrow 3-2 win against Egypt to reach the quarter-finals, and also came back to win their Round of 32 match against Cape Verde.
Switzerland, on the other hand, aims to cause an upset against the reigning champions. They advanced to this stage after a penalty shootout victory against Colombia in the Round of 16, where the score remained 0-0 for most of the game. Switzerland’s coach, Murat Yakin, made one change to his starting lineup, bringing in Djibril Sow for Ardon Jashari.
Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, has maintained an unchanged squad for this match, marking the fourth time he has done so in eight years. This decision comes after discussions regarding potential changes following their victory over Egypt, including whether Lautaro Martinez should start over Julian Alvarez or if Nicolas Otamendi should be included in the defense.
The match conditions in Kansas City are challenging, with a temperature of 88F and a heat index of 90, coupled with 55 percent humidity. Argentina’s assistant coach, Roberto Ayala, commented on the upcoming game, acknowledging Switzerland as an organized team with strong individual players. He expressed confidence that Argentina could disrupt their opponents’ style of play.
Gabriel Batistuta, Argentina’s former leading scorer at the World Cup, shared his initial doubts about Messi’s performance heading into the tournament due to his age and playing in MLS. However, Batistuta noted that Messi’s goals in this World Cup have been of a higher quality compared to those in Qatar 2022, where many were penalties. He also stated that Messi has been the most significant positive for the team, despite the team not consistently dominating games.
Switzerland faces potential suspension concerns, with two players in their starting XI, right-back Denis Zakaria and captain Granit Xhaka, at risk of missing a potential semi-final if they receive a yellow card. Substitute left-back Miro Muheim is also in a similar position. Argentina has one player, defender Gonzalo Montiel, who is a substitute and at risk of suspension.
FIFA approved a request from the Argentinian Football Association for the team to wear black armbands during the match. This tribute is in honor of Antonio Rattin, a legendary midfielder for Boca Juniors who represented Argentina in two World Cups and passed away earlier today at the age of 89.
The initial minutes of the match saw both teams feeling each other out, with Switzerland being proactive and not sitting deep. Despite this, the pace was described as pedestrian. The odds for victory were in favor of Argentina, with -146 odds.
The winner of this quarter-final will proceed to face England in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Source: nytimes.com