Argentina vs Switzerland
The road to a repeat will get even harder for Argentina, as they’ve drawn Switzerland as their next opponents. These two proud nations are set to square off at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City this Saturday as part of the ongoing World Cup 2026 quarter-finals. The winner of this contest will face the winner of the Norway-England tiff.
The knockouts have not been smooth sailing for La Albiceleste, with Cape Verde and Egypt pushing them to the limit in the Round of 32 and 16. As such, Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin said he is confident in the Red Crosses’ chances against the reigning champions.
Switzerland are coming off a penalty shootout victory over Colombia after their 2-0 win against Algeria. Despite this and Argentina’s rocky recent form, the pre-game SBOTOP betting odds have them as the underdogs.
Will the Red Crosses pull off an upset? Or will La Albiceleste live to fight for another day?
Talking Points
Messi continues to bail out Argentina
Argentina looked out of it when they fell behind by two goals against Egypt after goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Ziko. But their confidence never wavered under the guidance of their talisman, Lionel Messi.
The Inter Miami star gave La Albiceleste the opening they needed in the 79th minute by teeing up Cristian Romero for a header. And after Messi tried to tee up Lautaro Martinez for the leveller, which the latter missed, he was in the right place at the right time to fire the ball into the roof of the net in the 83rd minute.
Messi now has a record-extending 21 goals in the World Cup, and he just became the all-time assists leader in the competition with nine, surpassing his compatriot, Diego Maradona.
Lionel Scaloni’s men rode their wave of momentum, completing their comeback deep into stoppage time. After a defensive stop, Lisandro Martinez floated the ball to Lautaro Martinez, whose cross found Enzo Fernandez, who headed the ball home for the win.
As Argentina were in pandemonium, Egypt lost their cool, as their players and coaches received yellow cards. After the match, head coach Hossam Hassan accused FIFA of biased officiating in favour of Argentina.
Switzerland could be undermanned
While head coach Murat Yakin believes Argentina are vulnerable, his remarks might backfire because he could miss up to three key players this weekend. Michel Aebischer, Luca Jaquez, and Johan Manzambi are all doubtful due to injuries.
Manzambi’s stock has risen dramatically this tournament for recording three goals before missing the game against Colombia due to a knee injury. The SC Freiburg man did not train with the team on Thursday, and he was seen wearing a knee brace.
If Manzambi doesn’t play against Argentina, Ardon Jashari would likely start again. The Red Crosses will also need the likes of Fabian Rieder, Breel Embolo, and Dan Ndoye to produce in the final third.
History
Saturday marks the eighth competitive meeting between Argentina and Switzerland, with the former recording five wins and two draws. These two teams most recently squared off at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when Angel Di Maria scored the extra-time winner during the Round of 16. These two teams also faced off in the 1966 World Cup group stage.
The Red Crosses have historically struggled against South American opposition, winning only two of their 10 previous World Cup matches against them (D2, L6), including their previous game against Colombia, which sent them to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954.
La Albiceleste are undefeated in their last 11 World Cup matches (W9, D2), and they’re aiming to become the first side since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup.
Betting Tip
As mentioned, the World Cup 2026 odds are backing Argentina to win on Saturday night in Kansas City. La Albiceleste are 1.72 favourites in the 1X2 market, whereas the Red Crosses are huge 5.20 underdogs, and a draw after 90 minutes is pegged at 3.45.
Both teams should have goals and new World Cup 2026 highlights in store for the fans this weekend, with Argentina expected to score more. Besides our recommended bet, bettors may also consider adding Over 1.75 at 1.50, Over 2.00 at 1.71, Over 2.25 at 2.02, Over 2.50 at 2.28, and Total Goals 2-3 at 1.91 to the parlay.
Furthermore, the Correct Score of 1-0 in favour of Argentina – the result of their previous finals encounter – yields a tidy payout of 5.20.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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