Messi’s Late Night: Argentina v Switzerland in Kansas City
Available in USThe last of the quarter-finals is one for the night owls. Argentina v Switzerland (2:00am IST Sunday, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City) closes the round in the small hours of Irish time, and it pits a Lionel Messi in vintage form against the tournament’s great limpet. If you are staying up, or setting an alarm, here is the team news, the euro-book prices, and where the value sits.
Messi’s tournament
Argentina are charging, and the reason wears number 10. Messi has eight goals in five matches — the outright Golden Boot leader, a hat-trick on the opening day, and a scorer in every game so far, including the 3-2 win over Egypt in the last 16 that Egypt have officially protested to FIFA. Unbeaten across five, the holders have scored fourteen but conceded in each of their last three, which is the crack Switzerland will aim at. There is a booking watch too: Gonzalo Montiel is one yellow card from a semi-final suspension.
Switzerland’s stubborn run
Switzerland are living their own piece of history — a first quarter-final since 1954, seventy-two years, and their first World Cup with two knockout wins. They ground past Colombia 4-3 on penalties in the last round after a 0-0, goalkeeper Gregor Kobel the hero with a save from Cucho Hernández. Just three goals conceded all tournament tells you how they play: compact, patient, and lethal on the counter. Johan Manzambi is a doubt with a knee problem, though an MRI ruled out anything serious and he may return.
The history
The head-to-head favours Argentina heavily: seven meetings since 1966, five Argentine wins and two draws — Switzerland have never won. The last World Cup meeting was the 2014 last 16, when Ángel Di María struck in the 118th minute for a 1-0 Argentina win. Switzerland will take heart that they have kept it tight against them before.
The odds and our pick
The books make Argentina 4/5 to 5/7 favourites, the draw 5/2, and Switzerland 17/4 (as of 7 July 2026, converted to fractional; the Argentina price sits between 4/5 and evens across books). Switzerland’s discipline makes a low-scoring game a real possibility, and rain is forecast for the evening in Kansas City — another nudge towards a cagey affair.
The Irish viewing guide
A 2:00am IST Sunday kick-off is strictly for the committed — this is coffee-and-a-blanket territory for the Irish night owl. Boomerang Bet io and LamaBet are among the euro-facing books framing the tie, with prices in euro. Messi’s goalscorer and shots markets are where the sharper late-night money will look. Our quarter-finals guide has every tie in Irish time, while the Argentina team page tracks Messi and the holders’ run.
Odds shown are converted to fractional format for Irish bookmakers and were accurate as of 7 July 2026; always check the live price before betting. 18+, gamble responsibly. Please play within your limits — support is available at GambleAware.ie.
