​Late on Saturday night, around 11 p.m., and already into the early hours of Sunday, around 12 a.m., Argentina edged past Switzerland 3-1 after extra time to reach the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The clash wasn’t a pure display of technical brilliance, but it delivered a roller-coaster of emotions from start to finish.
La Albiceleste began with an early lead when Lionel Messi delivered a corner that found Alexis Mac Allister’s head, giving Argentina the advantage. That goal saw Messi move into sole possession of the record for most assists in World Cup history, with 11 assists to his name. Yet after the break, Switzerland found an equalizer and began to apply pressure, putting Argentina on the back foot.
In a twist straight out of a dramatic screenplay, Switzerland had a player sent off following a VAR review, tilting the balance back toward the South American side. From that moment, Argentina dominated possession and pressure, even though Messi squandered a one-on-one opportunity against the Swiss goalkeeper.
In extra time, the Swiss defense seemed to tighten, creating a sense of inevitability that Argentina would struggle to break through. Then Julián Álvarez changed the script with a breathtaking strike, blasting the ball into the top corner and sending the stadium into a frenzy. The Atlético Madrid forward unleashed a rocket that lit up the atmosphere in what the Argentinian supporters likened to a raucous La Bombonera, even though the venue was Kansas’s stadium environment that night.
Stoppage time brought more drama, as Messi again found himself one-on-one with the Swiss keeper, only to miss once more. Lautaro Martínez, however, was there to pounce on the rebound and seal the victory for Argentina, delivering the final blow to Switzerland and securing a place in the World Cup semifinals.
So, the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals are set, and for the first time, four former world champions remain in contention. The scheduled semifinals feature two mouth-watering matchups:
– Tuesday, the 14th, at 4:00 p.m. Brasília time: France (champions in 1998 and 2018) versus Spain (champions in 2010).
– Wednesday, the 15th, at 4:00 p.m. Brasília time: England (champions in 1966) versus Argentina (champions in 1978, 1986, and 2022).
Note: This article has been translated into English using Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original Portuguese version here. This rewrite is crafted to improve SEO with a minimum of 500 words while preserving the essence of the match narrative and its significance for Argentina and the tournament.