Only Argentina can prevent the World Cup trophy from returning to Europe. The reigning champions have survived on a mixture of drama, tears and, above all, Lionel Messi, but face their first major test on Saturday when they take on Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
Victory in Kansas City would make the Albiceleste the only non-European nation in the semi-finals, where they would face either England or Norway.
Morocco, the only other non-European side to reach the last eight, were swept aside by Kylian Mbappé’s France, leaving Argentina alone to challenge the continent’s traditional powerhouses.
At this stage of the tournament, Lionel Scaloni’s side will need to improve collectively if they are to ease their dependence on Messi.
So far, the captain has kept Argentina afloat through two nail-biting knockout victories over Cabo Verde and Egypt.
He has scored eight of Argentina’s 14 goals at the tournament and shares the lead in the Golden Boot standings with Mbappé.
That remarkable tally, unprecedented for a 39-year-old, still does not fully reflect the indispensable contribution of the Inter Miami star.
Tuesday’s last-16 clash in Atlanta provided the clearest and most dramatic example.
Egypt had the world champions on the ropes, leading 2-0 with just 11 minutes remaining, before Messi sparked an astonishing comeback with an assist and a goal as Argentina recovered to win 3-2.
Help for Messi
With more heart than fluent football, Argentina have so far achieved their main objective: ensuring that Messi’s final World Cup campaign continues.
Each victory postpones the farewell of the national icon and unleashes powerful emotions, as seen when Messi broke down in tears after the miracle in Atlanta and was embraced and lifted into the air by his teammates.
"We want him to feel that we're with him until the very end," midfielder Leandro Paredes said. "We're also playing to make sure his last match never comes."
The squad’s unwavering commitment to their captain has struck a chord around the world, but there is also an expectation that they must offer him greater support on the pitch.
Apart from Messi, who has scored in all five matches, no Argentina player has more than one goal, while key figures such as Julián Álvarez have yet to register either a goal or an assist.
Switzerland stand in the way
On paper, there is a gulf between Argentina, backed wherever they go by a sea of passionate supporters, and Switzerland, a nation of just nine million people that have reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954.
The Swiss camp itself has embraced the David-versus-Goliath narrative, despite also reaching the quarter-finals at the last two European Championships.
"I'm going to play against Messi, I can retire now," striker Zeki Amdouni joked in a message posted on his Snapchat account.
Beyond the light-hearted comments, Colombia can attest to Switzerland's quality. Murat Yakin's side remain unbeaten at the tournament thanks to a disciplined defence and a well-drilled collective built around a handful of standout players.
Midfielder Granit Xhaka remains the team's leader and is one of three survivors from the previous World Cup meeting between the nations, alongside teammate Ricardo Rodríguez and Messi himself.
That encounter came in the last 16 at the 2014 World Cup, when Argentina needed extra time to edge past Switzerland 1-0 thanks to an Ángel Di María goal.
Scaloni is expected to keep faith with the side that snatched victory against Egypt, while Yakin is hoping to recover young midfielder Johan Manzambi, arguably Switzerland's outstanding performer at the tournament, who missed the last-16 match through injury.
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by Guillermo Barros, AFP
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