SPORTS DESK — Breaking football records seems to have become second nature for Argentina. Continuing their relentless attacking form, Lionel Scaloni’s side shattered multiple historic milestones as they defeated Switzerland 3-1 in a grueling extra-time quarterfinal clash in Kansas City to secure their place in the World Cup semifinals for the sixth time.
Shattering the Goal-Scoring Record
The victory in Kansas City saw the Albiceleste rewrite the history books of ‘The Greatest Show on Earth.’ By putting three goals past the Swiss, Argentina became the first team in World Cup history to score two or more goals in 12 consecutive matches.
With this feat, they surpassed the long-standing record held by Uruguay, who managed the achievement in 11 consecutive games. Football powerhouses Germany (10 matches), Hungary (9 matches), and France (8 matches) follow further down the historic list.
Messi’s Historic 10th Assist and Extra-Time Drama
The high-stakes encounter got off to a historic start just 10 minutes into the game when talisman Lionel Messi set up Alexis Mac Allister for the opening goal. With this crucial pass, Messi cemented his legacy as the only footballer in World Cup history to register 10 tournament assists.
However, Switzerland fought back resiliently. In the 67th minute, Swiss forward Dan Ndoye netted a well-deserved equalizer to level the scoreline. The teams remained deadlocked at 1-1 at the end of the regulation 90 minutes, pushing the match into extra time.
This marked Argentina’s 13th appearance in World Cup extra time—yet another tournament record. They now stand alone at the top of this metric, surpassing Germany, who have played 12 extra-time matches in their World Cup history.
A Relentless Winning Streak
Argentina’s phenomenal World Cup run has been unstoppable since their shock 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in the group stage of the 2022 edition.
During their triumphant 2022 campaign, they scored two goals each against Poland, Mexico, Australia, and the Netherlands, before hammering three past Croatia in the semifinal and another three against France in the iconic Lusail final.
That scoring momentum has carried over perfectly into the current tournament. Scaloni’s men kicked off their title defense with a dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria, followed by a 2-0 win against Austria and a 3-1 victory over Jordan in the group stages.
Their knockout path saw them edge Cape Verde 3-2 in the round of 32 and defeat Egypt by the same scoreline in the round of 16.
Against Switzerland, the breakthrough finally arrived in the 112th minute of extra time when Julian Alvarez found the back of the net.
Lautaro Martinez sealed the 3-1 victory with a dramatic goal in the first minute of stoppage time after the 120-minute mark.
The Path to the Final
Since that opening-match stumble against Saudi Arabia in 2022, Argentina has put together a spectacular 12-match winning streak in the tournament. Across this dominant stretch, the Albiceleste have scored 31 goals while conceding only 12.
Historically, whenever Argentina has reached the World Cup semifinals, they have gone on to reach the final on all five previous occasions.
If Scaloni’s men can defeat England in their upcoming semifinal clash on July 15, they will maintain their flawless, undefeated record in World Cup semifinal history. Meanwhile, the first semifinal will see heavyweight giants France and Spain lock horns on July 14.
Teams with Most Consecutive World Cup Matches Scoring 2+ Goals
| Country | Consecutive Matches |
| Argentina | 12 |
| Uruguay | 11 |
| Germany | 10 |
| Hungary | 9 |
| France | 8 |