Concerns about the weather dominated discussions leading up to today’s quarter-final match. In Miami, the feels-like temperature reached around 100 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 38 degrees Celsius), prompting an excessive heat warning for the Norway versus England game. Kansas City is also warm, with a forecast of 81 F (about 27 C) for kickoff, though the sun will have set by the local start time of 8 PM.
For those tuning in at 2 AM or 3 AM, we appreciate your late-night dedication! If it’s Sunday in your location, good morning! A warm greeting to our Argentina supporters in Bangladesh; we’re delighted to have you!
Andrew Goudie made an insightful remark, noting, “So far, one former champion has gone out at each stage: Italy (Qualifiers), Uruguay (group stage), Germany (round of 32), Brazil (round of 16). Argentina are going out today.”
Marcio Lana-Lopez also provided a great catch, correcting my misspelling of Alcides Ghiggia from Uruguay, who scored in all four of his matches during the 1950 World Cup. “He’s a true football hero in Uruguay, scored the final goal that exploded Brazilians’ hearts and minds in 1950’s World Cup, the famous Maracanazo.” he noted.
Argentina fans are no strangers to dramatic finishes. In their victorious 2022 campaign, Argentina relinquished a lead on four occasions, including twice in the final against France. While this might make for captivating storytelling, it also brings emotional turmoil and poses significant risks.
Switzerland has been less of a scoring threat without Johan Manzambi, who has been sidelined. However, if the Swiss can penetrate Argentina’s defense, it could pose challenges for the South Americans.
Though Gregor Kobel hasn’t garnered the headlines like some other tournament goalkeepers, he has been solid. He boasts consecutive clean sheets in the knockout rounds and has made 16 saves overall. This tournament marks his first major run with Switzerland, having taken over from Yann Sommer after the 2024 Euros, yet he has experience from his time leading Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2024.
The victor of the Argentina versus Switzerland clash will meet England in the semi-finals:
Lionel Scaloni has retained the same Argentina lineup that made a remarkable comeback against Egypt in the previous round. Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi will start, marking his 205th appearance for the national team.
Murat Yakin has made one alteration to the Swiss lineup that faced Colombia, bringing in Djibril Sow to replace Ardon Jashari.
Argentina (likely 4-1-3-2): E Martinez; Tagliafico, L Martinez, Romero, Molina; Paredes; Fernandez, Mac Allister, De Paul; Alvarez, Messi
Switzerland (likely 4-2-3-1): Kobel; Zakaria, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Ndoye, Sow, Rieder; Embolo
Referee: João Pinheiro (Portugal)
Earlier in the tournament, I enjoyed reading a piece by Jonathan Wilson featuring an interview with Luciana Alvarengue, the former maths teacher of Enzo Fernández and Julián Alvarez from Buenos Aires.
Lionel Messi has been exceptional this World Cup. He has become the all-time leading scorer in the men’s tournament, celebrated his 200th cap for Argentina, turned 39, and has a remarkable scoring streak that encompasses six knockout matches, dating back to the 2022 final.
For your watch party, here’s an interesting trivia: Only two players in World Cup history have scored in every match of a tournament-winning campaign: Alcides Ghiggia of Uruguay in 1950 and Jairzinho of Brazil in 1970. Notably, each had fewer games to play, with Ghiggia participating in four and Jairzinho in six.
Argentina and Switzerland have faced each other seven times, with Switzerland yet to secure a victory.
A memorable match occurred in the last 16 of the 2014 World Cup, where Argentina triumphed in extra time on their way to the finals. Lionel Messi, Granit Xhaka, and Ricardo Rodriguez all played in that match and will be back on the field today.
What strategy will Xhaka employ to contain Messi?
I don’t know if we can stop him over 90 minutes. It’s going to be very difficult. We have to be smart. We’ll have to be compact, close the gaps and not give him too many spaces. We will try, obviously, to play in possession when we have the ball, and he won’t be able to act as much. We’ll just try to play our game and not allow him to play the ball.
Argentina will depend significantly on Lionel Messi and more against Switzerland. They need to maintain high intensity for extended periods and cannot rely solely on their past momentum. However, many fans love this Argentina team for their chaotic energy, which adds to their appeal. Lionel Scaloni might be one of those who appreciates this chaos.
“Football is this, not just tactics and strategies,” he stated, his voice filled with emotion following the match against Egypt. “Those things are important, no doubt, but if we hadn’t had the heart we had, we would’ve been out.”
In the other quarter-final, Jude Bellingham has put England ahead.
We expect team news shortly for the Argentina versus Switzerland match. There are just over 90 minutes until kickoff in Kansas City.
In Miami, the atmosphere is hot and tense as Norway and England head into extra time in the other quarter-final. Scott Murray has all the updates:
Welcome to the final quarter-final of this World Cup!
Argentina versus Switzerland: the champions against the underdogs. A team with three World Cups faces a nation that has never reached the last four. It’s a clash of structured play versus emotional unpredictability. A spot in Wednesday’s semi-final against either Norway or England in Atlanta is at stake. If Argentina prevails, they continue their quest to become the first team to win back-to-back World Cups. Should Switzerland emerge victorious, they will achieve their best tournament run in history and secure an all-European final four.
How did we arrive at this point? Argentina advanced smoothly through the group stage but faced significant challenges in the knockout rounds. They narrowly escaped elimination against Cape Verde, needing extra time in the last 32, and then trailed 2-0 against Egypt until the 79th minute, when Messi led a remarkable turnaround to push his team into the quarter-finals.
Switzerland has reached the last eight of the World Cup for the first time since 1954. The Group B winners defeated Algeria in the last 32 and engaged in a tense last-16 match against Colombia, which they won on penalties. Their veteran players have excelled in knockout football, but much of their success this tournament has been attributed to the young talent Johan Manzambi, who has notched three goals and two assists in two games. Unfortunately, he is out due to a knee injury.
Will Switzerland pull off an upset? Can Messi conjure his magic once more? Stay tuned for team news shortly. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts at ella.brockway@, and keep an eye on the conclusion of Norway versus England, which seems headed for extra time.
