KANSAS CITY — Lionel Andres Messi is 2 video games from soccer immortality; from undisputed, unassailable G.O.A.T. standing; from eradicating any doubt or rebuttal over who’s the most effective to ever do it.
MORE — Argentina 3-1 Switzerland
Identical goes for Argentina, on all factors, from a workforce perspective. Solely two groups have ever finished it — win the World Cup back-to-back — and the final time was 64 years in the past. Italy within the ‘30s and Brazil in ’58 and ’62. They’d be the most effective ever, without end.
And people are the unimaginable expectations they face — that he faces — each time they take the sphere, just like they did Saturday night time in opposition to Switzerland within the 2026 quarterfinals. In the long run, they did what was required they usually stay to play one other sport, however Argentina are presently underdogs in opposition to England within the second semifinal on Wednesday (3 pm ET).
The defending champions. With the best participant ever. Underdogs.
Perhaps they do it, perhaps they don’t, however we’ll actually by no means see anybody get this shut once more in our lifetimes.
“Might our followers benefit from the semifinal just like us,” Messi mentioned after Argentina survived another scare and won 3-1 in extra-time. “This workforce has gotten folks used to it by doing extraordinary issues. We have to savor it to the fullest, as a result of we don’t know if it should occur once more.”
Smart phrases, Leo.
Up till tonight, it had been him dragging Argentina by means of video games that have been far nearer than they ever ought to have been. Messi’s magic could have you believing that unimaginable is nothing for him, however the eye take a look at tells us Argentina are flat out not the most effective workforce at this event; at no level within the knockout rounds have they regarded head or shoulders above the opposition; and it’s more than truthful to say they’re nonetheless overly reliant on a 39-year-old who has someway up to now managed to defy time as we all know it. It’s not precisely a profitable system to encourage confidence, on paper.
And nonetheless, you’re not betting in opposition to them. You wish to find yourself on the unsuitable aspect of historical past? In opposition to that man? That workforce? Not an opportunity.
They just discover a manner. Many times, and once more now.
Solely this time, it was more like Argentina dragging Messi over the road when he wasn’t at his usually dominant, most absolute best. Something wanting Messi’s finest, and Argentina would have been out to both of Cape Verde or Egypt within the final two rounds. It was the query — will somebody different than Messi step up? — coming into this World Cup, and 5 video games into it we have been no nearer to a solution.
Maybe Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, Messi’s working mates up high, heard the chatter. How might they not? Effectively, they answered.
Switzerland made it abundantly clear from the opening whistle that they weren’t going to let Messi beat them. They crowded him with and with out the ball and compelled him out wider than he needed to be. Murat Yakin’s aspect executed their sport plan to close perfection they usually obtained to inside eight minutes of a penalty shootout.
If Messi wasn’t going to beat them, then who would? We waited 90 minutes and two-thirds of extra-time, questioning if we’d discover out tonight, or perhaps by no means.
Messi was just standing round, a spectator like the remainder of us, when it occurred, 112th minute. Alvarez had been given far an excessive amount of house standing on the nook of the penalty space, and he knew it. He known as for it and Jose Manuel Lopez gave it to him, the ball performed out in entrance for Alvarez to run on to and look for objective. One contact cushioned, subsequent contact a wave of the wand. About as high nook as you possibly can put it, over Gregor Kobel’s outstretched mitts and tucked just underneath the crossbar, aspect netting for good measure.
¡APARECIÓ UNA ‘ARAÑA’ EN LAS REDES!
Con un potente derechazo, Julián Álvarez la clavó en el ángulo y rompe el empate de Argentina. pic.twitter.com/G1VCzpPUAe
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) July 12, 2026
Swiss gamers fell to their knees in equal components exhaustion and frustration, for they’d been enjoying with 10 males for 40 minutes after Breel Embolo was despatched off for a second yellow (diving) within the 72nd. Embolo had been grappling with Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero all night time, giving them matches and getting one or two proper again, and his hold-up play was giving Switzerland a number of beauty on counter-attacks. Romero and Martinez have been warriors on the again and drove the workforce ahead at each alternative.
“There’s all the time a variety of discuss,” Alvarez mentioned after scoring the winner. “I feel we’ve to focus our vitality on our personal issues. The group could be very united, very robust. Now it’s time to relaxation and take into consideration the subsequent one. We’d desire to win video games earlier, however we all know it’s not simple. There are two more left, and we’re going to go for them with every little thing.”
Switzerland performed Argentina probability for probability lengthy earlier than Dan Ndoye lastly equalized within the 67th, whereas the champs solely managed to beat them with a set piece that was their solely actual probability of the primary half within the tenth minute. These have been distressing instances for the roughly 68,000 Argentine followers inside Arrowhead Stadium (capability: 69,045).
“Luck was with us at this time,” Scaloni admitted afterwards. “We should be real looking, there are issues we have to enhance.”
It wanted to be Alvarez, although, he hadn’t scored or assisted a single objective at this event. He’s the one Lionel Scaloni needs to start out each sport, as a result of he’s the regular hand and doesn’t run so cold and hot however he was poor in two sub appearances and two begins, and solely began to look a risk in opposition to Egypt final spherical. Argentina’s possibilities have been few and much between in opposition to Switzerland (solely 9 pictures tried in 90 minutes, adopted by 13 in half-hour of additional time) and Alvarez solely took three all night time.
There are solely a handful of gamers on the earth that would rating that objective occurring two hours of soccer, and we just came upon that Argentina has two of them. And that makes them very, very harmful.
