Switzerland is set to compete in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years, facing Argentina in Kansas City on Saturday, July 11. This historic achievement for Switzerland comes as they prepare to challenge the defending champions, who feature star player Lionel Messi.
The match is scheduled for a 9 p.m. ET kick-off at Kansas City Stadium. Fans can watch the action live on FOX in English, and on Telemundo and Peacock in Spanish.
Switzerland’s Path to the Quarter-finals
Switzerland secured their spot in the quarter-finals after a strong performance in the earlier stages of the tournament. They advanced from Group B unbeaten, recording two wins and a draw for a total of seven points. In the Round of 32, they eliminated Algeria with a 2-0 victory. Their journey continued in the Round of 16, where they defeated Colombia in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw in regulation time.
This marks a significant milestone for the Swiss team, who have also reached the quarter-finals in their last two European Championships and advanced to the knockout rounds in five of their last six World Cup appearances. Captain Granit Xhaka acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating on Friday, July 10, that it would be difficult to stop Messi for the entire 90 minutes.
Midfielder Denis Zakaria echoed this sentiment, recognising Messi as one of the world’s best players. However, he emphasised that Argentina is more than just Messi, and the Swiss team needs to focus on a collective effort. Forward Zeki Amdouni also praised Messi but expressed confidence that Switzerland has identified weaknesses in the champions’ defence that they can exploit.
Argentina’s Tournament Journey and Key Players
Argentina, led by Lionel Messi and midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, advanced to the quarter-finals in dramatic fashion. In the Round of 16, they secured a 3-2 comeback victory against Egypt, having trailed 2-0 with 11 minutes remaining. Messi scored Argentina’s second goal in that match and also provided an assist. This goal brought his total World Cup goals to 21, extending his lead as the top scorer in the competition’s history. He also shares the lead in this edition’s scoring charts with eight goals.
Messi’s performance against Egypt also saw him become the first player to score in six consecutive knockout stage matches and the first to score in nine consecutive matches in the global competition. He also reached an unprecedented 31 appearances in FIFA World Cup history. De Paul was also part of the starting XI in that match.
Prior to their match against Egypt, Argentina had a perfect record in Group J, with a 3-0 win over Algeria, a 2-0 victory against Austria, and a 3-1 win over Jordan. They also secured a 3-2 win against Cape Verde in the Round of 16 before facing Egypt.
This quarter-final clash will be the eighth time these two nations have met in their history and the third time in a FIFA World Cup. Argentina has remained unbeaten in their previous encounters, with five wins and two draws. Their past World Cup victories against Switzerland include a 2-0 group stage win in England in 1966 and a 1-0 win in the Round of 16 in Brazil in 2014.
Messi’s international career includes guiding Argentina to the 2021 and 2024 CONMEBOL Copa América titles, the 2022 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions crown, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup title. He holds records for most caps (204) and most goals (125) for Argentina, as well as the international record for most World Cup match appearances (31). De Paul has also been a key figure in Argentina’s recent successes, including the 2021 and 2024 CONMEBOL Copa América and the 2022 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions, and has earned 91 caps for his country.
The upcoming match on Saturday, July 11, will determine which team advances further in the tournament.
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Source: eu.usatoday.com
Arjun Sharma
Sports Reporter