Messi praises Alvarez, Argentina teammates as attention shifts to England
Lionel Messi praised his Argentina teammates, specifically Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, following their quarterfinal victory over Switzerland. Despite a quiet performance from Messi himself, the team's resilience and depth secured their spot in the next round.
Why it matters
As Argentina advances in the 2026 World Cup, the team's ability to win without relying solely on Messi is a key narrative for their championship prospects.
Hear this story KANSAS CITY, MO — All World Cup , the Argentina national team has been looking for someone other than Lionel Messi to step up when needed most.
After Messi helped the Albiceleste to an extra-time win over Cape Verde in the round of 32 and spurred a round of 16 rally past Egypt , he had a quiet game by his lofty standards in the quarterfinal with Switzerland on Saturday, June 11. He set up the opening goal in the 3-1 extra time win from a corner kick but then watched as forwards Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez were able to score the decisive goals late in the game.
Asked if Alvarez scored in Messi's style on Saturday, the Inter Miami star emphasized that Alvarez has a style all his own.
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