Argentina’s defence of the World Cup continues on Saturday evening when Lionel Scaloni’s side take on Switzerland in Kansas City for a place in the semi-finals.

The reigning champions have survived two enormous scares in succession to reach the final eight, while Switzerland have quietly gone about their business to equal the best World Cup run in their history. Waiting in the final four will be either England or Norway, but neither side can afford to look beyond what promises to be a fascinating clash of styles.

Argentina arrive as favourites, but after what unfolded against Cape Verde and Egypt, nobody in the Albiceleste camp will be underestimating their latest opponents.

Argentina continue to find new ways to survive

For the second knockout match running, Argentina have stared elimination in the face and somehow emerged victorious.

Cape Verde pushed the holders all the way to extra time in the round of 32 before a late own goal finally settled matters, but Egypt came even closer to ending Argentina’s reign. With just 11 minutes remaining in Atlanta, the Pharaohs led 2-0 and looked set to produce one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.

Instead, the champions reminded everyone why champions are so difficult to kill. Cristian Romero started the comeback before Lionel Messi redeemed an earlier penalty miss to level proceedings, and Enzo Fernandez completed an astonishing turnaround to extend Argentina’s winning run to 12 matches.

The performances have not always been convincing, but there is an argument that this version of Argentina resembles the 2022 winners more with every passing round. Experience, resilience and an almost irrational belief in their ability to escape impossible situations continue to carry them forward.

Messi remains central to everything. Despite missing two penalties during the tournament, the captain still leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals and continues to rewrite football history at the age of 39. The prospect of becoming the first player ever to lead his nation to back-to-back World Cup titles as captain only adds further significance to what may be his final appearance on football’s biggest stage.

Scaloni has the luxury of a fully fit squad heading into the quarter-final. One of Julian Alvarez or Lautaro Martinez will partner Messi in attack, while the only genuine selection debate concerns who starts at left-back between Facundo Medina and Nicolas Tagliafico.

Switzerland have built their campaign on discipline and organisation

Switzerland’s route to the quarter-finals has attracted far fewer headlines, but Murat Yakin will care little about that. The Swiss opened with a disappointing draw against Qatar before steadily growing into the tournament, collecting victories over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada and Algeria before eventually overcoming Colombia in a tense penalty shootout.

Gregor Kobel was the hero in Vancouver, saving the decisive spot kick to send Switzerland into the last eight for the first time since 1954. Unlike many of the remaining teams, Switzerland have not relied on attacking fireworks to reach this stage. Instead, they have built their success on organisation, discipline and an ability to make matches deeply uncomfortable for opponents.

The numbers support that approach. Remarkably, Switzerland are yet to fall behind at any point during their entire World Cup campaign, including qualifying, underlining the defensive structure that has become Yakin’s trademark.

There are, however, fitness concerns ahead of the biggest match in modern Swiss football history. Michel Aebischer, Luca Jaquez and Johan Manzambi are all doubts, with the latter potentially representing the biggest loss after scoring three goals earlier in the tournament.

Breel Embolo remains Switzerland’s biggest attacking threat despite enduring a frustrating evening against Colombia. The Rennes striker has contributed directly to 13 goals in his last 17 international appearances and will be expected to provide the focal point once again.

Verdict

This quarter-final may come down to a simple question: can Switzerland keep Argentina frustrated for long enough? The Swiss possess the tactical discipline and defensive organisation to slow the game down and reduce space between the lines, precisely the kind of environment that has caused Argentina problems throughout the knockout rounds.

However, the holders continue to demonstrate an extraordinary capacity for surviving difficult moments. They have not been at their fluent best, but their ability to remain calm under pressure and produce decisive moments when it matters most remains one of their greatest strengths.

Switzerland can make life uncomfortable and may well keep the contest close for long periods, but Argentina’s experience of navigating these occasions could ultimately prove decisive once again.

Tip

Argentina to qualify

It has been a far from straightforward route through the knockout stages for the reigning champions, but Argentina have repeatedly found solutions when confronted with adversity. Switzerland will be difficult to break down, yet the holders still possess the tournament’s most decisive player and enough quality to edge another tense encounter.