Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez Lead Argentina to the 2026 World Cup Semi-Finals

Argentina secured a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals after defeating Switzerland 3-1 in extra time during the quarter-final fixture at Kansas City Stadium, United States, on Sunday 12 July 2026 WIB.

La Albiceleste were made to work hard after the match finished level at 1-1 after 90 minutes of regular play. Victory was only sealed in extra time courtesy of goals from Julian Alvarez in the 112th minute and Lautaro Martinez in the 120+1st minute.

This result sends Lionel Messi and his squad through to the final four, while keeping alive their hopes of retaining the world title they claimed at the previous tournament. Should they lift the trophy once again, Argentina will make history by winning consecutive World Cup titles.

In the semi-final round, Argentina will face the England Men's National Team, who progressed after eliminating Norway with a 2-1 scoreline. This clash between two global football powerhouses is already predicted to be one of the most anticipated matches of the entire 2026 World Cup.

Meanwhile, the remaining spot in the tournament final will be contested between France and Spain. All four qualified semi-final sides hold long established pedigree in international football and have all previously lifted the World Cup trophy.

Argentina also stands as the only remaining representative from the Americas in the title race. All three other semi-finalists are European nations: England, France and Spain.

With this outcome, the possibility of a first-time World Cup champion emerging in 2026 is now officially eliminated, after Morocco, Norway and Switzerland all had their campaigns ended at the quarter-final stage.

Argentina Forced Through A High-Pressure Fixture

The match was fiercely contested from the very first minute. Argentina opened the scoring first through Alexis Mac Allister in the 10th minute, before Switzerland levelled the scoreline via Dan Ndoye in the 67th minute.

Argentina gained a further advantage when Switzerland's Breel Embolo was dismissed after receiving a second yellow card in the 72nd minute. Despite holding a numerical player advantage for the rest of regular time, Lionel Scaloni's side failed to capitalise on their chances to secure the win before the 90 minute mark.

The fixture therefore proceeded to extra time, with the score remaining deadlocked at 1-1 when the final whistle for regular play was blown.

Once extra time commenced, Argentina played with far greater dominance and mounted consistent pressure on the Swiss defensive line. Their sustained attacks finally broke through when Julian Alvarez found the net in the 112th minute.

Argentina's victory was sealed by Lautaro Martinez, who scored during stoppage time of the extra period, in the 120+1st minute. The 3-1 scoreline held until the final whistle concluded the match.

Despite not registering himself on the scoresheet, Lionel Messi once again delivered a pivotal performance, orchestrating attacking build up play and acting as the creative engine for Argentina across the full duration of the fixture.