Argentina and Switzerland wrap up a dizzying series of World Cup quarterfinals this summer with, theoretically, the most lopsided tie of the round on Saturday.
Lionel Messi’s defending champion has somehow managed to avoid any of the competition’s big hitters this summer, tiptoeing through a tame group stage before taking on debutants Cabo Verde and an Egypt side which had never won a World Cup game before 2026.
However, as Switzerland can take plenty of hope from, Argentina struggled in both knockout games. Cabo Verde forced extra time after the South American giant stopped playing in the wake of Messi’s opener, while Egypt raced into a 2–0 lead. However, on each occasion, Argentina prevailed.
Switzerland’s passage to the quarterfinal has been less dramatic. There was little spark in a bloodless 2–0 victory over Algeria in the round of 32 before a goalless draw with Colombia which ended in a penalty shootout triumph. Switzerland may not be the favorite, but that hasn’t had much impact on other fixtures this summer.
