Scaloni Admits Switzerland Made Argentina Struggle, Now Focuses on England in World Cup Semifinal

Argentina's head coach, Lionel Scaloni, acknowledged that Switzerland presented a significant challenge during their World Cup 2026 quarter-final match. The Albiceleste ultimately secured a 3-1 victory in extra time, but Scaloni admitted the team faced considerable difficulties.

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The reality is we struggled today. We knew they were a very physical team. I think they put us in a difficult situation

"The reality is we struggled today. We knew they were a very physical team. I think they put us in a difficult situation," Scaloni stated. Argentina initially took the lead through Alexis Mac Allister, but Switzerland equalized via Dan Ndoye, forcing the match into overtime.

The game shifted in the 72nd minute when Swiss forward Breel Embolo received a second yellow card for diving, reducing Switzerland to 10 players. Despite the numerical advantage, Argentina did not secure the win until the second half of extra time, with goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.

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We were not able to get out of certain situations. Actually, today luck was on our side because the opponent lost a player due to a red card

Scaloni conceded that his team benefited from some luck, particularly the red card. "We were not able to get out of certain situations. Actually, today luck was on our side because the opponent lost a player due to a red card," he said. He also emphasized that while the win is positive, there are areas needing improvement before their semifinal clash against England.

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We have to be realistic; there are things that need to be improved, but winning is always better