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Defending champions Argentina will take on Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Saturday (local time), with the South American side carrying an unbeaten record against the European nation into the knockout clash.
The two teams have met seven times previously, with Argentina winning five matches and drawing the other two. La Albiceleste have scored 15 goals while conceding just three and have never lost to Switzerland in nearly six decades of meetings. Their first World Cup encounter came during the 1966 edition in England, when Argentina secured a 2-0 victory in the group stage through goals from Luis Artime and Ermindo Onega. Argentina continued to dominate the fixture in subsequent friendlies, including a 5-0 victory in Cordoba in 1980 and a 2-0 win in Bern four years later. The remaining two friendlies ended in 1-1 draws, in 1990 and 2007, with Abel Balbo and Carlos Tevez scoring for Argentina respectively. One of the most memorable meetings between the sides came in a friendly in Bern in 2012, when Lionel Messi netted the first hat-trick of his international career in Argentina's 3-1 win over Switzerland. The teams' most iconic World Cup clash, however, came in the Round of 16 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. After a tightly contested match, Argentina broke the deadlock in the 117th minute of extra time as Messi set up Angel Di Maria, who scored the winner to send his side into the quarterfinals. Switzerland came agonisingly close to forcing a penalty shootout in the closing moments, but Blerim Dzemaili's header struck the post before the rebound deflected off his knee and went wide. As the teams prepare to meet again on the World Cup stage, Argentina will aim to extend their unbeaten run against Switzerland and book a place in the semifinals as they continue their bid to defend the FIFA World Cup title. (ANI)
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