World Cup: Argentina vs Switzerland Prediction

World Cup: Our Argentina vs Switzerland prediction, team news and betting tip. Messi chases a semi-final in Kansas City. Here's the banker of the day.

Argentina keep winning and keep looking mortal doing it. At some point the escape act runs out of rope, Switzerland are here to find out if tonight is the night. Five wins from five. Unbeaten in eleven World Cup matches since 2022.

And yet the champions needed a 111th-minute own goal to survive Cape Verde, then went 2-0 down to Egypt with eleven minutes left and somehow won 3-2.

That is not dominance. That is a team getting rescued, repeatedly, by the same 39-year-old.

Win, and Argentina are in an Atlanta semi-final on Wednesday against Norway or England. 

Lose, and the title defence dies in Kansas City.

Argentina have not failed to score twice in a World Cup match since 2022. 

Switzerland have not lost, or even trailed, in this entire tournament. Something has to give in Kansas City.

The Tie

Messi has eight goals and the Golden Boot lead, and he is the reason Argentina are still standing. 

But he is also 39, and the supporting cast is not pulling its weight. 

Julian Alvarez has been off the boil all tournament. 

Lautaro Martinez remains strangely shy in front of goal. 

The midfield is static, and most of the deep creativity is coming from Lisandro Martinez passing out of defence. 

Take Messi out of this team and you have a good side, not a great one and everybody in the Swiss camp knows it.

Switzerland are exactly the sort of opponent built to punish that. 

Organised, patient, and yet to lose or even trail at this World Cup. 

They ground out a goalless 120 minutes against Colombia and won on penalties. 

Kobel in goal has been excellent, Akanji and Elvedi are miserly, and Xhaka sets the tempo. 

They have never beaten Argentina in seven attempts, and this is their first quarter-final in 72 years, but they will not be intimidated by the shirt.

The catch is a big one. 

Switzerland have lost Johan Manzambi, their breakout star and top scorer, with three goals and two assists, to a non-contact knee injury in training, with Michel Aebischer and Luca Jaquez also out. 

That guts the one thing they need most: somebody who can actually hurt Argentina on the counter. 

You can defend for 90 minutes and reach penalties. 

But defending for 90 minutes with nothing up front means you eventually meet Messi in the wrong half of the pitch, and that is how title defences stay alive.

Projected Argentina XI: Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez.

Projected Switzerland XI: Gregor Kobel; Denis Zakaria, Manuel Akanji, Nico Elvedi, Ricardo Rodriguez; Ardon Jashari, Granit Xhaka, Remo Freuler; Dan Ndoye, Breel Embolo, Ruben Vargas.

Key absences/team news: Switzerland are without Johan Manzambi, their top scorer, after a non-contact knee injury in training, with Michel Aebischer and Luca Jaquez also sidelined. 

Granit Xhaka and Denis Zakaria are both a booking away from missing a potential semi-final. 

Argentina have a fully fit squad, with Scaloni weighing rotation after two gruelling knockout ties, and Nicolas Tagliafico and Facundo Medina competing at left-back.

Prediction: Argentina 2-0 Switzerland.

Tip: Argentina to win. 

Switzerland have lost the one man who gave them a cutting edge, and Argentina have scored at least twice in eleven straight World Cup matches. 

Grinding is a fine plan until you have nobody to grind towards.

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Banker Of The Day

Argentina to beat Switzerland. The safest thing on the card. 

The Swiss are organised and brave, but they have never beaten Argentina in seven meetings.

They have lost their only real attacking spark to a training-ground injury, and the champions have not failed to score twice in a World Cup match since 2022. 

Messi does not need many chances. Switzerland cannot afford to give him even one.

Argentina have looked beatable in every knockout round and won every one of them anyway. 

Champions do not always convince.

They just keep turning up on the right side of the scoreline and until somebody actually punishes them, that is all that matters.

Back any of these? Tell me what you're rolling with today.

18+. Bet responsibly. Odds and team news correct at the time of writing.