Lionel Scaloni, Head Coach of Argentina, attends a press convention sooner or later forward of the Fifa World Cup 2026 Quarter Ultimate match at Kansas Metropolis Stadium on July 10, 2026 in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, US. — AFP
KANSAS CITY: Lionel Scaloni stated he needs his Argentina crew to be remembered as a aspect that “never gave up” as he prepares them to face Switzerland within the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
The defending champions sailed by the group stage on the 2026 event however have been pushed to the restrict by Cape Verde and Egypt within the knockout rounds.
The South People at the moment are unbeaten in 11 World Cup video games as they search to change into the primary nation since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back tournaments.
However they face a troublesome take a look at towards an industrious and well-drilled Switzerland crew in Kansas Metropolis.
Argentina coach Scaloni advised his pre-match press convention at Arrowhead Stadium on Friday that supporting the crew was about “passion”.
“I would like this national team to be remembered as a team that never gave up,” he stated.
The 48-year-old stated he had change into emotional after seeing a younger fan expressing his help for the crew.
“We, the technical staff, the players, we play football for this,” he added. “We do not play football just for a win. And then when you see those things that come out of our heart, this is just outstanding.
“While you see a 10-year-old saying these issues and speaking with that zeal, and everybody shouting ‘Argentina’, that’s simply so emotional. And that’s the legacy that I would like.”
Messi, ‘the very best’
Saturday’s quarter-final will take Lionel Messi again to the scene of his hat-trick in Argentina’s first match of the event, a 3-0 win over Algeria.
Argentina’s ahead #10 Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his crew’s second aim through the 2026 World Cup spherical of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Egypt at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, US, on July 7, 2026. — AFP
The Inter Miami ahead is degree with France’s Kylian Mbappe on eight targets within the race for the Golden Boot and is now the main scorer in World Cup historical past, with 21 targets throughout his profession.
Messi’s numbers may very well be even higher had he not missed two penalties, however Scaloni stated he wouldn’t take spot-kick duties away from his inspirational captain.
“It wouldn’t even cross my mind to go and tell him not to (take the next penalty). Let him do whatever he wants,” he stated.
“We have players who can take them, but he’ll take it if he wants to, and if not, that’s up to him. Let him do whatever he wants out on the pitch.”
Scaloni stated the crew’s talisman could be on the prime of world soccer for so long as he wished to be.
“At 39 years of age, some people might think he may not rise to the challenge, but I’ve said before that for as long as he wants, he will be the best,” he stated.
“I’m not saying that because I’m coaching him, but rather because I think if he wants to, he will continue to be the best.
“These of us who see him prepare, these of us who see him doing issues at the moment can’t even think about what he was like when he was 23 years of age, when he was again in Barcelona with (Pep) Guardiola.”
The Argentina boss said Switzerland, led by their influential captain Granit Xhaka, would be hard to beat in the last eight.
“They’ve a long-standing historical past in World Cups,” he added. “They’ve very skilled gamers. They’re robust. So it will likely be a troublesome opponent, that’s for positive.
“We respect them very much, as we also do with other opponents. They eliminated Colombia. Colombia had been doing great during this World Cup.”
If Argentina beat Switzerland, they’d face England or Norway within the semi-finals.
