Argentina booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals with a hard-fought 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland in Kansas City, Softfootball reports.
Lionel Scaloni’s side will now meet England in a blockbuster last-four clash after Julian Alvarez’s sensational winner lit up a tense contest.
The reigning champions struck early when Alexis Mac Allister headed home from Lionel Messi’s corner after Switzerland failed to clear their lines. The Swiss responded strongly after the break, with Dan Ndoye firing past Emiliano Martínez following excellent work from Ricardo Rodríguez.
Switzerland’s hopes suffered a huge setback moments later when Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card for simulation after a VAR review.
Despite their numerical advantage, Argentina needed extra time before Julián Álvarez unleashed a brilliant 25-yard strike into the top corner. Lautaro Martínez added a late third to seal victory and book Argentina’s first competitive meeting with England in 24 years.
Player Ratings
Argentina
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Emiliano Martínez | 7.6 |
| Nicolás Tagliafico | 6.9 |
| Lisandro Martínez | 7.8 |
| Cristian Romero | 7.5 |
| Nahuel Molina | 6.8 |
| Leandro Paredes | 7.9 |
| Enzo Fernández | 7.0 |
| Rodrigo De Paul | 7.1 |
| Alexis Mac Allister | 8.3 |
| Julián Álvarez | 8.3 |
| Lionel Messi | 8.8 |
| Lautaro Martínez (Sub) | 7.5 |
| Gonzalo Montiel (Sub) | 6.0 |
| Nico González (Sub) | 6.6 |
Switzerland
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Gregor Kobel | 6.5 |
| Ricardo Rodríguez | 7.7 |
| Manuel Akanji | 5.6 |
| Nico Elvedi | 6.6 |
| Denis Zakaria | 6.3 |
| Granit Xhaka | 6.2 |
| Remo Freuler | 6.6 |
| Dan Ndoye | 7.2 |
| Djibril Sow | 6.3 |
| Fabian Rieder | 6.0 |
| Breel Embolo | 3.5 |
| Miro Muheim (Sub) | 6.1 |
| Silvan Widmer (Sub) | 6.5 |
| Zeki Amdouni (Sub) | 6.0 |
| Eray Cömert (Sub) | 6.1 |
Match Statistics
| Stat | Argentina | Switzerland |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 59% | 41% |
| Shots on Goal | 7 (32%) | 5 (46%) |
| Big Chances Created | 3 | 1 |
| Big Chances Missed | 2 | 0 |
| Accurate Passes | 615 (89%) | 399 (84%) |
| Duels Won | 58 | 43 |
| Saves | 4 | 4 |
| Fouls Committed | 14 | 18 |
| Offsides | 4 | 3 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 1 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 1 |
