Argentina reached the 2026 World Cup semifinals by beating Switzerland 3-1 after extra time at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Julián Álvarez broke a 1-1 tie in the 112th minute, and Lautaro Martínez finished the quarterfinal with a stoppage-time counterattack.
Lionel Messi shaped Argentina’s 10th-minute opener without scoring it. His left-footed corner found Alexis Mac Allister at the far side of the six-yard box, where the midfielder headed past Gregor Kobel. Messi played all 120 minutes, supplied that assist and put one of his four shots on target. He was also caught offside twice as Argentina tried to release him behind Switzerland’s back line.
Switzerland didn’t retreat after falling behind. Granit Xhaka forced Emiliano Martínez into a save from distance before Dan Ndoye equalized in the 67th minute. Ricardo Rodríguez split the defense with a through ball, and Ndoye scored from a tight angle on the left. Two minutes earlier, Martínez had saved Ndoye’s header from Rodríguez’s cross.
The match changed again five minutes later. Breel Embolo went down in the area and was dismissed for a second yellow card after a VAR review of the incident. Switzerland played the rest of regulation and all of extra time with 10 men, yet Kobel and a compact back line carried the 1-1 score through 90 minutes.
Argentina’s bench opens the extra-time gap
Lionel Scaloni’s replacements decided the contest. José Manuel López came on for the injured Leandro Paredes in the 110th minute and needed two minutes to make his contribution, laying the ball off for Álvarez. The striker struck from beyond the penalty area and found the top-right corner, beyond Kobel’s reach.
Lautaro, introduced for Rodrigo De Paul in the 85th minute, removed the final doubt at 120+1. He ended a fast break with a low finish from the center of the box, turning a tense extra-time lead into a two-goal margin. Argentina’s depth had also carried it through an extra-time World Cup test against Cape Verde earlier in the tournament.
Argentina finished with 59.1 percent possession, 22 shots and seven on target. Switzerland had 11 shots and put five on target, a measure of how well Ndoye and Xhaka kept the quarterfinal competitive before the numerical disadvantage took its toll. Álvarez attempted three shots and scored the one that sent Argentina ahead for good.
Messi’s night was quieter in front of goal than his comeback against Egypt, but his set-piece delivery created the foundation for another knockout win. Switzerland’s resistance lasted deep into the second hour. Argentina’s control, extra player and options from the bench finally carried the defending champion into the last four.
