Argentina’s quarterfinal win over Switzerland is best read through the ratings. Lionel Messi was the clear standout at 8.9, Alexis Mac Allister scored the opener and rated 8.3, and Julián Alvarez finished it with a 7.7 after extra time. At the other end, Breel Embolo finished on 5.9 after a night that ended with a red card.
Messi, Mac Allister and Álvarez
Mac Allister headed home Argentina’s opener in the 10th minute from a Lionel Messi corner. Messi also supplied 1 assist and 6 key passes in 124 minutes, which fits the way Argentina kept leaning on him whenever the game needed a cleaner pass or a better idea.
The other end of the scale was Embolo. He was the lowest-rated notable starter and his dismissal left Switzerland with 10 men at a decisive point. The second yellow came in the 72nd minute for simulation, and that followed a game in which Switzerland had already dragged itself level through Dan Ndoye in the 67th minute. The exact equaliser minute is disputed in different reports, with some putting it in the 66th, but the match events support 67.
Switzerland’s fight and the late finish
Switzerland were competitive for long stretches, and Argentina did not simply stroll through the tie. The clearest evidence is that Gregor Kobel still made 4 saves, while Switzerland were still alive until extra time. Then Álvarez curled a brilliant strike into the top corner in the 112th minute, and that was the moment the quarterfinal finally broke open.
The tactical shape of the ratings is not subtle. Messi’s 8.9 sits above everyone else, Embolo’s 5.9 sits below the notable starters, and the decisive actions belonged to the players who handled the biggest moments cleanly. Bavarian Football Works put it bluntly: "Argentina just always felt like it was sitting on something and waiting to explode."
Argentina also have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 4 matches, so the win does not erase the defensive issues that have been hanging around this run. The result still goes down as a quarterfinal escape, and the next round will ask whether the same reliance on late moments keeps working.
FAQ
Why did Argentina’s match against Switzerland turn so heavily on player ratings?
The ratings reflect the key swings in the match. Lionel Messi was the clear standout with an 8.9, Alexis Mac Allister scored the opener and rated 8.3, and Julián Álvarez finished it in extra time with a 7.7. Breel Embolo’s 5.9 and red card summed up Switzerland’s collapse.
Did Breel Embolo’s red card decide Argentina vs Switzerland?
It changed the match sharply. Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card in the 72nd minute for simulation and sent off, leaving Switzerland with 10 men before Julián Álvarez scored the winner in the 112th minute. Argentina had already seen Dan Ndoye equalise in the 67th minute.
How good was Lionel Messi against Switzerland?
Lionel Messi was Argentina’s highest-rated player at 8.9. He added 1 assist and 6 key passes in 124 minutes, and his corner set up Alexis Mac Allister’s 10th-minute opener. His nine-game World Cup scoring streak ended, but he still shaped the game.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
