Scaloni Aims for Argentina's Legacy of Never Giving Up at 2026 World Cup

Argentina, the defending World Cup champions, advanced easily from the group stage of the 2026 tournament but encountered strong resistance from Cape Verde and Egypt in the round of 32 and round of 16, respectively.

The South American team remains unbeaten in 11 World Cup matches and is pursuing the distinction of becoming the first team to retain the title since Brazil in 1962. However, they will face a challenging test against a well-organized and strong Swiss squad in Kansas City.

Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the match at Arrowhead Stadium, coach Lionel Scaloni said that supporting Argentina is about "passion." He added, "I want this national team to be remembered as a team that never gives up."

Scaloni shared that he was moved by seeing a young child expressing support for the team, stating, "We, the coaching staff and players, play football for this. We don’t play just to win. When you see those moments that come from our hearts, it’s truly wonderful. When you see a ten-year-old child saying these things and speaking with such passion, and everyone chanting 'Argentina,' it’s very touching. This is the legacy I want."

The quarterfinal match on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium will bring star player Lionel Messi back to the venue where he scored a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening game of this edition, a 3-0 victory over Algeria.

Messi, the Inter Miami forward, is tied with French player Kylian Mbappé with eight goals each in the race for the Golden Boot and has become the all-time top scorer in World Cup history with 21 goals, one more than Real Madrid’s striker.

Scaloni stated that Messi will remain the best player as long as he desires, saying, "At 39 years old, some might think he won’t be able to meet the challenge, but I have said before that as long as he wants, he will remain the best. I don’t say this because I coach him, but because I believe that if he wants, he will continue to be the best."

He continued, "We see him training and doing things today; we can’t even imagine how he was at 23 years old when he was at Barcelona under Pep Guardiola."

Scaloni pointed out that Switzerland, led by their influential captain Granit Xhaka, will be a tough opponent in the quarterfinals. He said, "They have a long history in the World Cup. They have very experienced and physically strong players. They are strong, so it will definitely be a difficult match."

He added, "We respect them a lot, just as we respect the other competitors. They eliminated Colombia, who had been performing excellently in this tournament."

If Argentina defeats Switzerland, they will face either England or Norway in the semifinals, while Spain is set to meet France in the other semifinal match in Dallas.