Argentina vs Switzerland: A History of World Cup Battles Ahead of the 2026 Quarterfinal

The 2026 World Cup is heating up, and a tantalizing quarterfinal clash is on the horizon. Defending champions Argentina face a Switzerland side eager to pull off the biggest upset of the tournament. For Lionel Messi and company, it's another step toward retaining the crown. For the Swiss, it's a shot at their first-ever semifinal appearance. The two nations have met six times in total, including friendlies. Their two World Cup encounters both went Argentina's way. The first came in 1966 in England. In a group-stage match, Argentina won 2-0. Luis Artime broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute after a defensive blunder, and Ermindo Onega sealed it nine minutes from time. That victory sent Argentina to the quarterfinals, where they lost to eventual winners England. Switzerland went home empty-handed. Forty-eight years later, they met again in the 2014 World Cup round of 16 in Brazil. It was a tense, tactical battle. Argentina dominated possession but found Diego Benaglio in inspired form. Switzerland, under Ottmar Hitzfeld, defended stoutly and threatened on the break through Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka. The game seemed destined for penalties until the 118th minute, when Messi carved through the Swiss defense and laid the ball off for Angel Di Maria, who curled a first-time shot into the far corner. Switzerland nearly equalized moments later when Blerim Dzemaili hit the post. Argentina held on for a 1-0 win and eventually reached the final. Now, with a place in the 2026 semifinals on the line, can Switzerland rewrite the narrative?