Julian Alverez Scores Stunner to Sink 10-Man Switzerland as Argentina Seal Blockbuster World Cup 2026 Semifinal Berth Against England

Did anyone really expect defending champions Argentina to make it through the easy way? If they are going to lift the World Cup, it seems destined to happen through another emotional rollercoaster. What looked like it would be a comfortable night against Switzerland turned into a perfect reflection of Argentina’s tournament.

They came close to letting the game slip away before rescuing themselves with a moment of pure brilliance. This time, though, the magic did not come from Lionel Messi’s left foot. With the match drifting toward a penalty shootout deep into extra time, Messi had just seen his effort denied by Gregor Kobel when Argentina finally found the breakthrough.

Sweating It Out

After Switzerland failed to clear the danger, substitute José López collected the loose ball on the left and calmly laid it back to Julián Álvarez, who had been largely quiet for most of the match.

What followed was a goal that may well go down as the finest of the tournament. From about 22 yards out, positioned between the edge of the penalty arc and the corner of the box, Julián Álvarez unleashed a curling strike that flew beyond Kobel’s outstretched hand and nestled into the top corner.

It was a breathtaking finish, made even more memorable by the timing. The goal sent Argentina into a World Cup semifinal against England on Wednesday. Forty years after the iconic “Hand of God” match, Messi will finally face England at the World Cup in a fixture made even more compelling by how rarely the two nations meet on this stage.

Álvarez’s strike even echoed the spectacular goal scored by Cape Verde’s Sidny Lopes Cabral earlier in the tournament, which had pushed Argentina to the brink of a shock Round of 32 exit. While there were similarities between the two efforts, Álvarez’s goal stood out for both its greater distance and the pressure of the moment, arriving when Argentina desperately needed inspiration.

The victory also carried extra significance as it came on the day former Argentina captain Antonio Rattin died at the age of 89.

Any lingering uncertainty over the result disappeared just before the final whistle when Lautaro Martínez converted the rebound after Thiago Almada’s counterattacking effort was saved. After relatively quiet tournaments, Messi’s attacking partners finally stepped up when Argentina needed them most.

Moment of Glory

VAR saw the incident differently. Replays showed that Breel Embolo had initiated the contact by leaving his leg in the path of Leandro Paredes, prompting officials to overturn the penalty under the recently introduced “mistaken identity” rule.

Paredes had his yellow card rescinded, while Embolo was booked for simulation. Once the protests subsided, the Swiss forward left the pitch in tears, knowing he and his team may have let a rare opportunity slip away.

Even so, Murat Yakin’s side produced a determined defensive display. Argentina needed nearly 50 minutes, including stoppage time, to finally break them down after Switzerland took the lead. From that point on, the Swiss spent much of the match under relentless pressure.

It seemed only a matter of time before Messi, whose corner had led to Alexis Mac Allister’s close-range opener in the 10th minute, would take control of the contest. Instead, he was repeatedly denied. Kobel produced a sharp save to stop him from close range, with the chance likely to have stood despite a delayed offside flag, before Messi curled another effort wide with his weaker right foot as time ran down.

When Kobel then pulled off another outstanding save to deny Martínez, the match was pushed into an extra 30 minutes — extending Argentina’s wait for the breakthrough they eventually found.

After taking the lead, Argentina appeared to be in complete control. The rest of the first half passed with little incident, apart from Emiliano Martínez rushing off his line to smother the ball at Breel Embolo’s feet.

Switzerland came out with far greater intensity after the break, however, and Argentina struggled to handle the pressure. Martínez was called into action with important saves to deny Dan Ndoye and Granit Xhaka during a spell in which the Swiss were firmly on top. Ndoye later combined neatly with Ricardo Rodríguez before finishing calmly to bring Switzerland level.

Suddenly, Argentina were forced to raise their game, but as extra time wore on, the prospect of a penalty shootout seemed increasingly likely. Their play became rushed, with misplaced passes, mistimed tackles and poor decisions reflecting the tension of the occasion.

Lionel Scaloni’s side looked exhausted, frustrated and increasingly rattled. Thiago Almada fired into the side netting, briefly fooling much of the heavily pro-Argentina crowd into thinking he had scored, while Messi sent a free-kick harmlessly into the wall when another defining moment appeared within reach.