Argentina secured another agonizing victory against Switzerland in the quarterfinals with a 3-1 scoreline in extra time of the 2026 World Cup. With the win, they officially secured their spot in the semifinals, where they will face England. However, Lionel Scaloni admitted that there are several things to improve.
Following the match, Scaloni was fully aware that Argentina must improve in a semifinal bracket that features the top four teams in the world, but he also praised England. “We have things to improve, but winning is always better. That being said, today is historic,” Scaloni said.
“We are going to face a team that plays very well, that has a great coach,” he added. Scaloni already has his eyes on the decisive matchup that could place them in the final for the second consecutive time, all while Lionel Messi remains in the hunt for the Golden Boot.
Scaloni remains optimistic despite the opponent
With England already confirmed as the opponent, Scaloni assured that the adversary did not change the national team’s preparation and highlighted the high level of any team reaching this stage of the tournament.
Julian Alvarez #9 of Argentina
“It did not matter if it was England or Norway; we are going to face a good team,” he stated. Finally, the head coach made it clear what the priority will be before Wednesday’s semifinal in Atlanta. “We are going to recover, which is the most important thing,” he concluded, referring to the physical toll left by another 120-minute match.
The qualification was settled in the second half of extra time thanks to a spectacular goal by Julian Alvarez in the 112th minute, which broke a highly balanced duel at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. With that goal, and the late addition from Lautaro Martinez, Argentina secured the final 3-1 scoreline and took another step in the defense of the title they won four years ago.
The matchup between Argentina and England is scheduled for July 15, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET. It will be the final match of the semifinals, hosted at Atlanta Stadium in the United States.
