2026 World Cup: Argentina eliminate Switzerland in extra time to reach semi-finals

Argentina prevailed over Switzerland (3-1 aet) in the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. After a tightly contested regulation period ended level at 1-1, Lionel Scaloni’s men pulled away in extra time to secure their place in the semi-finals against England.

The duel got off to a promising start, with Alexis Mac Allister opening the scoring in the 10th minute from a corner taken by Lionel Messi. Switzerland, trailing, responded in the second half through Dan Ndoye (67th minute). The match turned when Breel Embolo, already booked, received a second yellow card followed by a red (72nd minute), forcing the Swiss to play with 10 men for the remainder of the match.

During extra time, Argentina took advantage of their numerical and physical superiority to score two further goals through Julián Álvarez (112th minute) and Lisandro Martínez (120+1), sealing a deserved victory after an intense tactical battle.

The match was also marked by the use of the “wrong identity” protocol, which overturned a yellow card initially shown to Leandro Paredes, avoiding an unjust sanction for the Argentine. For Argentina, Lionel Messi influenced the game by providing an assist and making numerous key passes, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez made four valuable saves.

Switzerland, set up in a 4-2-3-1 under Murat Yakin, had opted for a compact block with Gregor Kobel in goal and an attacking line led by Embolo. Their inability to cope with Argentina’s numerical advantage, combined with a defense that was sometimes overwhelmed by the Argentines’ quick reactions, weighed heavily on the outcome.

Argentina dominant under Scaloni with an effective 4-1-3-2

Argentina lived up to expectations under Lionel Scaloni, adopting a 4-1-3-2 formation. The defensive base consisted of Emiliano Martínez in goal, supported by defenders Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez and Nicolás Tagliafico. Leandro Paredes operated as the holding midfielder in front of the defense, dictating the tempo alongside Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister in midfield.

In attack, the partnership between Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez combined creativity with depth. Experience and collective control allowed Argentina to manage the key moments of the match, particularly during Switzerland’s spells of pressure and throughout extra time.

Switzerland’s 4-2-3-1 struggles to contain Argentina after Embolo’s dismissal

The Swiss, led by Murat Yakin, lined up in a classic 4-2-3-1 formation with Kik Gregor Kobel in goal. The fortress-like central defensive pairing consisted of Nico Elvedi and Manuel Akanji, while wing-backs Ricardo Rodríguez and Denis Zakaria provided physical and technical presence.

The midfield paired Granit Xhaka with Remo Freuler, with Fabian Rieder, Dan Ndoye and Breel Embolo leading the attack. Despite Ndoye’s equalizer and a few chances, Breel Embolo’s early departure after receiving a red card considerably reduced their ability to challenge Argentina’s dominance in extra time.

Switzerland leave the competition following this defeat, after a campaign marked by collective effort and defensive solidity but undermined by a lack of efficiency late in the match and the absence of a solution to compensate for their numerical disadvantage.

Argentina

After extra time 3-1 AET Arrowhead Stadium

Switzerland

12/07/2026 02:00 · Quarterfinals · 90 min 1-1

Fil du match

1. 10'⚽But - A. Mac Allister (passe L. Messi)Argentine, 10e
2. 44'Carton jaune - B. EmboloSuisse, 44e
3. 67'⚽But - D. Ndoye (passe R. Rodriguez)Suisse, 67e
4. 72'Carton jaune - B. EmboloSuisse, 72e
5. 72'Carton rouge - B. Embolo1-1Suisse
6. 78'↑↓Remplacement - N. Tagliafico (remplace N. Gonzalez)Argentine, 78e
7. 85'↑↓Remplacement - R. de Paul (remplace L. Martinez)Argentine, 85e
8. 85'↑↓Remplacement - N. Molina (remplace G. Montiel)Argentine, 85e
9. 86'↑↓Remplacement - D. Sow (remplace S. Widmer)Suisse, 86e
10. 86'↑↓Remplacement - D. Ndoye (remplace Z. Amdouni)Suisse, 86e
11. 86'↑↓Remplacement - F. Rieder (remplace M. Muheim)Suisse, 86e
12. 90+5'↑↓Remplacement - R. Rodriguez (remplace E. Comert)Suisse, 90+5e
13. 91'↑↓Remplacement - E. Fernandez (remplace T. Almada)Argentine, 91e
14. 96'↑↓Remplacement - D. Zakaria (remplace A. Jashari)Suisse, 96e
15. 97'Carton jaune - T. AlmadaArgentine, 97e
16. 98'Carton jaune - L. MartinezArgentine, 98e
17. 106'↑↓Remplacement - C. Romero (remplace N. Otamendi)Argentine, 106e
18. 110'↑↓Remplacement - L. Paredes (remplace J. Lopez)Argentine, 110e
19. 112'⚽But - J. Alvarez (passe J. Lopez)Argentine, 112e
20. 114'Carton jaune - J. LopezArgentine, 114e
21. 115'↑↓Remplacement - R. Freuler (remplace R. Vargas)Suisse, 115e
22. 120+1'⚽But - L. MartinezArgentine, 120+1e

Les chiffres du match

• Tirs cadres : Argentina 3 / Switzerland 5
• Tirs : Argentina 14 / Switzerland 9
• Possession : Argentina 57% / Switzerland 43%
• Corners : Argentina 6 / Switzerland 2
• Fautes : Argentina 11 / Switzerland 15
• Cartons jaunes : Argentina 1 / Switzerland 2
• Cartons rouges : Argentina 0 / Switzerland 1
• Passes : Argentina 566 / Switzerland 420
• Precision des passes : Argentina 88% / Switzerland 86%
• xG : Argentina 1.08 / Switzerland 0.50

Joueurs clés

• Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina) : note 7.3, 1 but(s)
• Lionel Messi (Argentina) : note 8.2, 1 passe(s) decisive(s)
• Dan Ndoye (Switzerland) : note 7.2, 1 but(s)
• Emiliano Martínez (Argentina) : note 7.3, 4 arret(s)
• Ricardo Rodríguez (Switzerland) : note 7.3, 1 passe(s) decisive(s)

Quarterfinals schedule

View full schedule

View match details for France - Morocco

09/07 Quarterfinals

France

Finished 2-0 Gillette Stadium

Morocco

View match details for Spain - Belgium

10/07 Quarterfinals

Spain

Finished 2-1 SoFi Stadium

Belgium

View match details for Norway - England

11/07 Quarterfinals

Norway

After extra time 1-2 AET Hard Rock Stadium

England

View match details for Argentina - Switzerland

12/07 Quarterfinals

Argentina

After extra time 3-1 AET Arrowhead Stadium

Switzerland