Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni admitted his side “suffered” after their 3-1 extra-time victory over Switzerland sent Lionel Messi’s team into the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup.
“We suffered today,” Scaloni said after the match.
“We knew Switzerland were a very physical team. They caused us a lot of problems, but fortune was on our side.”
The coach also offered a note of self-criticism.
“We have to be realistic. There are things we need to improve, but it’s always better to do that when you’re winning,” he said.
“Luck was on our side,” he said.
Scaloni stressed that reaching another World Cup semi-final was “historic” and said his priority was ensuring his players recovered properly rather than worrying about England, Argentina’s next opponents.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s England or Norway. We need to recover, that’s the most important thing,” the coach concluded.
Almada ‘delighted’
Midfielder Thiago Almada also celebrated Saturday’s 3-1 victory , which booked Argentina’s place in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals.
“It’s not easy. We came into this as world champions and now we’re back among the last four again. We’re absolutely delighted because this is what we wanted,” he said after the match.
Almada described the extra-time victory as “a match where we had to suffer.”
“We’re used to suffering. The game was very tight, but the important thing is that we won,” he said.
“For us, this is about chasing glory and keeping Argentina at the top,” he added.
– TIMES/AFP
