Argentina struggled much more than expected, but ultimately asserted its dominance to advance to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup. La Albiceleste defeated Switzerland 3-1 in extra time thanks to goals by Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez, following a match marked by controversial refereeing decisions, the Swiss team’s resilience, and the use of VAR.
With this result, the team coached by Lionel Scaloni will face England in one of the most anticipated semifinals of the tournament, a matchup that promises to captivate the soccer world.
Argentina Knocks Out Switzerland
The place for all soccer fans 🇦🇷⚽ pic.twitter.com/PaZnDVxMoo
– 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) July 12, 2026
The match got off to a great start for the world champions.
Just nine minutes into the game, Alexis Mac Allister popped up inside the box to head in a corner kick taken by Lionel Messi, making it 1-0—a score that seemed to set the stage for a smooth afternoon for the Argentines.
However, after taking an early lead, Argentina eased off and allowed Switzerland to take control of the ball.
Although the Europeans dominated possession for long stretches of the game, they struggled to create clear scoring chances against the goal defended by Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez.
Switzerland won’t back down
A foul was called here in favor of Argentina.
And I’m not kidding. pic.twitter.com/xLlN1Mg2QN https://t.co/k46rVVs7wv
— Juanca (@Nanosecso) July 12, 2026
In the second half, the situation changed.
Switzerland pushed forward and tied the game in the 66th minute thanks to Dan Ndoye, who capped off a nice team play with a shot across the goal that left the Argentine goalkeeper with no chance.
Shortly afterward came one of the most controversial plays of the game.
Referee Joao Pinheiro initially showed Leandro Paredes a yellow card, but VAR intervened to point out that Breel Embolo was the one who committed the foul.
After reviewing the play, the referee rescinded the Argentine player’s yellow card and showed the Swiss forward a second yellow card, leaving Switzerland with ten players for the remainder of the match.
The red card forced the European team to fall back completely, while Argentina pushed forward in search of the winning goal.
It all came down to overtime
❌ Here’s a compilation of plays that favored Argentina against Switzerland.
Argentina is so corrupt. There’s way too much favoritism. 🤮👎🏻 pic.twitter.com/ILsON8Kzki
— FLA Henrique (@flahenriquebr) July 12, 2026
Despite Scaloni’s constant attacks and offensive adjustments, goalkeeper Gregor Kobel responded with several key saves and sent the game into overtime.
That’s when Julián Álvarez appeared.
After a lackluster World Cup, the Atlético Madrid forward came through when it mattered most by scoring a spectacular goal from outside the box in the 112th minute, sparking wild celebrations among the Argentine fans.
Just as Switzerland was making a desperate attempt to mount a comeback, Lautaro Martínez sealed the victory in the final minutes of extra time, making the final score 3-1.
In addition to the result, the match sparked several buzzy controversies related to refereeing decisions and the use of VAR, an issue that once again sparked debate among fans and analysts.
With this victory, Argentina keeps alive its dream of defending the title it won at Qatar 2022 and will now face England in a matchup that brings together two of the tournament’s strongest teams, with a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on the line.
Filed under: Argentina beats Switzerland
