Argentina have continued their campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in dramatic fashion. However, despite reaching the quarterfinals, several glaring weaknesses have emerged ahead of their showdown with Switzerland.
While Lionel Messi has continued to produce moments of brilliance, Argentina’s journey through the tournament has been far from convincing.
According to The Guardian, one of the defining images of this World Cup was Messi walking across the pitch in Atlanta with tears streaming down his face. Moments earlier, Argentina had fallen two goals behind Egypt and were on the verge of elimination in the Round of 16. Messi had even missed a penalty.
Yet, as he has done countless times throughout his career, the Argentine legend once again produced magic. He inspired a remarkable comeback as Argentina scored three goals in just over 10 minutes to secure a place in the quarterfinals.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni reportedly struggled to contain his emotions after the final whistle. Argentina’s players have even nicknamed him el llorón, meaning “the crybaby.”
“I can’t even look at you. I’m sorry. I’m obviously very emotional. What an incredible group of players this is, my brother. I’m sorry. That’s it, I have to go,” Scaloni said, as quoted in the report.
Argentina’s Performances Still Far from Convincing
Despite the dramatic victory, The Guardian argued that Argentina’s overall performances have been far from flawless.
Their Round of 32 match against Cape Verde was reportedly even more nerve-racking. Argentina were said to have escaped only through late heroics, avoiding what could have become one of the greatest upsets in professional sports history.
Cape Verde matched Argentina throughout much of the contest, while Egypt was described as having outplayed the defending champions for significant stretches of their Round of 16 encounter.
Even so, Scaloni insisted that Argentina had controlled both knockout-stage matches.
That assessment, according to the report, appeared difficult to accept—even for casual observers.
The situation is hardly new for Argentina. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, La Albiceleste also surrendered leads on several occasions, including twice against France in the tournament final.
Off-Field Controversy and Criticism of Scaloni
In addition to the pressure on the pitch, Argentina are reportedly dealing with several off-field issues.
Their match against Egypt was overshadowed by controversy after Egypt’s head coach alleged that the match had been fixed.
Meanwhile, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) is reportedly under investigation by the FBI over allegations concerning the handling of its commercial agreements in the United States.
The AFA has denied any wrongdoing.
Tomás Regalado, the AFA’s ambassador to North America, reportedly emphasized that the ongoing investigation has not established any misconduct.
“Investigative procedures alone do not determine responsibility or guilt,” Regalado said, according to the report.
Scaloni has also faced criticism over his tactical decisions and squad rotation.
He has been accused of relying too heavily on an aging core of veteran players.
Messi himself appeared exhausted following the victory over Cape Verde. He even attended the post-match press conference with a large bruise on his forehead.
However, when asked about the injury, Messi responded with his usual composure. He joked that the players who had been “kicking him all over the field” were also the ones most eager to ask for his jersey after the match.
Despite the criticism and the challenges surrounding the team, Scaloni insisted that Argentina’s greatest strength lies not only in tactics or strategy, but also in the determination and fighting spirit of his players.
“Football is this—not just tactics and strategy. Those things are important, without question, but if we didn’t have the heart that we have, we would already have been eliminated,” Scaloni said, as quoted in the report.***
