For the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, Argentina and Switzerland face off this Saturday, July 11, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. In a matchup where a win, tie, or lose can completely change the landscape, Argentina will do so without Lautaro Martinez in the starting lineup.
For this clash, head coach Lionel Scaloni will not start a player who is usually a key option for the team. Forward Lautaro Martinez will not be part of the starting lineup and will begin on the bench. With no official injury information reported, it is speculated that the move is purely tactical.
With this news, forward Julian Alvarez joins the starting lineup, just as he did in the previous match, and will slot into the attack alongside Lionel Messi. The referees for the match are already confirmed.
Lautaro looks to score from the bench
In fact, during the previous match against Egypt in the World Cup Round of 16, Lautaro Martinez also started the game on the bench, coming on in the second half and playing a decisive role in the comeback. Now, he will look to score once again, coming off the bench against Switzerland.
Lautaro Martinez of Argentina.
Argentina enter as favorites with a better position in the FIFA rankings against Switzerland, who look to break into the top 10 of the rankings and secure one of the best performances in their history.
However, Switzerland will suffer a very significant absence that could hinder their performance, as they will be without Johan Manzambi due to an injury. This is a tough blow for a match that is expected to have a massive attendance from the fans.
Argentina confirmed lineup
The confirmed lineups are out, and Lionel Scaloni will deploy the following starting eleven: Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez.
