Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni praised his team’s fighting spirit after they beat Switzerland 3-1 in extra time to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals, according to Reuters.
The defending champions faced a tough challenge from Switzerland before late goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez secured the win and booked a semi-final against England. After the match, Scaloni said his players have become used to handling difficult situations.
“We knew that we were going to suffer, and this is part of our blood, this is part of our DNA, and this brings peace of mind,” the coach said, as per Reuters.
Argentina went ahead early when Alexis Mac Allister headed in Lionel Messi’s corner in the 10th minute. Switzerland responded well and equalised in the 67th minute through Dan Ndoye after putting Argentina under pressure for much of the second half.
Argentina found it hard to control the game for long periods but took advantage after Switzerland were reduced to 10 players. Julian Alvarez scored a brilliant long-range goal in the 112th minute and Lautaro Martinez added another late goal to confirm Argentina’s place in the last four.
Scaloni said the experience of winning the FIFA World Cup in Qatar has helped his players stay calm and perform well in high-pressure knockout matches.
“In Qatar, we were not that experienced, I myself included, and those kinds of situations were very difficult,” he said.
“However, now we are more experienced because we know what it feels like to be dominated by the opponent, to concede an equaliser, so today we kept our composure. The team knew how to remain calm and, of course, we will never give up,” he added.
The Argentine coach admitted Switzerland made life extremely difficult for his players.
“It was a tough opponent,” Scaloni said, according to Reuters. “It was very difficult for us to win the duels, to put more than five or six passes together.”
“They were very strong, and they made that struggle in the one versus one in different areas of the pitch. We suffered quite a lot,” he said.
Despite not producing their most fluent display, Scaloni praised the depth of his squad and the contribution of his substitutes.
“We also have players on the bench who can turn the game on its head, and this is something very good,” he said. “Ultimately, we always find the solutions.”
The 48-year-old also credited the team’s unity for Argentina’s consistent performances in major tournaments.
“This is thanks to the players because they had to trust in the process,” he said. “We are a collective side. We are together. We are very much united. And this is proof that football is complicated.”
Scaloni also praised Mac Allister after the midfielder’s opening goal from a Messi corner.
“Alexis McAllister is one of the greatest. So all praise to him because he’s been working very hard,” Scaloni said.
Argentina’s victory secured a sixth semi-final appearance in their last six major tournaments, a feat Scaloni admitted filled him with pride.
“I hadn’t thought about it, but this is something to be very proud of,” he said.
Looking ahead to the semi-final, Scaloni reiterated that enduring difficult moments is often the price of success at the highest level.
“When you reach a semi-final, you need to suffer. You need to go through it,” Scaloni concluded.
The defending champions will take on England in the semi-final clash on Friday (IST).