In June 2016, Lionel Messi declared he was “done playing with the national team.” Fast forward to 2026, and Messi has helped Argentina reach the FIFA Men’s World Cup quarterfinals. With a World Cup title and 16 goals to his name, he aims to lead Argentina to become the first repeat champions since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
Argentina’s journey has been aided by what some consider a favorable draw. According to ESPN’s Alexis Martin-Tamayo, also known as MisterChip, Argentina faced teams with an average FIFA ranking of 38, the highest for a team on the path to a semifinal in World Cup history. Their opponents included Algeria (28th), Austria (24th), Jordan (63rd), Cape Verde (67th), Egypt (29th), and Switzerland (19th).
The quarterfinals will feature Switzerland against Argentina on Saturday, July 11, in Kansas City.
Argentina performed well in the group stage, yet the knockout rounds presented challenges. In the Round of 32, Cape Verde pushed Argentina to extra time before Argentina secured victory. The match was intense, with Cape Verde nearly completing a historic upset.
In the Round of 16, Egypt took a 2-0 lead over Argentina into the second half. However, Argentina staged a dramatic comeback as Cristian Romero scored in the 79th minute, followed by Messi in the 83rd minute. Enzo Fernandez clinched the win with a goal in stoppage time, marking an unforgettable comeback.
The upcoming match against Switzerland will test Argentina further, and recent performances suggest unpredictable outcomes.
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