argentina secured their place in the fifa world cup 2026 semifinals with a hard-fought 3-1 extra-time victory over switzerland at kansas city in the early hours of saturday. the triumph carries special significance for serie a, as inter milan’s lautaro martínez delivered the knockout blow that ended the world cup hopes of three italian league players.

on the pitch, argentina faced an uphill battle. mac allister put the albiceleste ahead from a messi corner in the 10th minute, but switzerland equalized through ndoye in the 68th minute. the dismissal of embolo—who attempted to deceive the referee into penalizing paredes—shifted momentum in favor of argentina, yet the south americans struggled to break down the resilient swiss defense in regulation time.

the deadlock was finally broken in extra time. julian álvarez, introduced late in the second half, delivered a stunning right-footed volley in the 112th minute to unlock the score. lautaro martínez, who entered the fray with five minutes remaining, sealed the win with a clinical counterattack finish in the 121st minute, capping a 3-1 victory.

the night was also defined by a fiery confrontation between lionel messi and the portuguese referee. after a rough challenge in the opening period, messi confronted the official with a sharp rebuke: ‘speak to me properly—don’t disrespect me.’ despite the altercation, the inter miami star orchestrated the opening goal and, in doing so, extended his record as the all-time leading assist provider in fifa world cup history.

argentina will face england in the semifinals on july 15 in atlanta—a rematch four decades after the infamous ‘hand of god’ incident.