“Great teams write history by staying calm when everything hangs in the balance”
Argentina reached the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals after defeating Switzerland 3-1 following extra time in a dramatic quarter-final at Kansas City Stadium. The defending champions battled through a tough contest to keep their hopes of retaining the trophy alive.
Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a header from Lionel Messi’s corner. Switzerland fought back after the break, and Dan Ndoye leveled the match in the 67th minute. Soon after, Breel Embolo received a red card following a VAR review, forcing Switzerland to play the remainder of the game with 10 men.
Argentina pushed hard for a winner but had to wait until extra time. Julián Álvarez struck a superb long-range effort in the 112th minute to restore Argentina’s lead. Lautaro Martínez then sealed the victory with a goal in stoppage time of extra time.
The result sends Argentina into the World Cup semi-finals, where they will face England. Messi also made history by registering his 10th World Cup assist, setting a new tournament record while helping his team move one step closer to another world title.