Lionel Scaloni admits Argentina 'suffered' despite World Cup semi-final qualification

KANSAS CITY: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni admitted his side 'suffered' before overcoming Switzerland 3-1 after extra time in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals here at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, insisting there are still areas his team must improve despite reaching another semi-final.

The defending champions were made to work hard as Switzerland frustrated the South American giants for long periods before Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez struck in extra time to secure victory after Alexis Mac Allister's early opener had been cancelled out by Dan Ndoye.

Switzerland's task became even tougher when Breel Embolo was sent off following a VAR review in the second half, allowing Argentina to seize control and eventually book a last-four meeting with England.

Reflecting on the performance, Scaloni acknowledged his players had been pushed to their limits and credited Switzerland for creating numerous problems throughout the contest.

"The truth is we suffered today. We knew they were a very physical team. I think they put us in a lot of difficulty. We weren't able to get out of certain situations," said Scaloni.

“The truth is that luck was on our side today, because they had a player sent off and, from there, the team went on the attack.

“We have to be realistic, we have things to improve on, but winning is always better. That said, what this team achieved today is historic. Even though we could have played better, being in a semi-final again is historic.”

Argentina will now take on England in Atlanta on Wednesday.