Scaloni’s Tactical Selection: Julian Alvarez Partners Messi as Argentina Faces Switzerland in 2026 World Cup Quarterfinal

Argentina will face Switzerland in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals at Kansas City Stadium, with manager Lionel Scaloni opting to leave Lautaro Martinez out of the starting eleven.

For this match, Scaloni has once again selected Julian Alvarez to partner Lionel Messi in attack, maintaining the same forward combination that secured Argentina’s comeback victory against Egypt in the Round of 16.

The decision is purely tactical, not related to fitness — Martinez is fully fit and available to be brought on from the bench if needed.

Scaloni’s Persistent Forward Selection Dilemma

The selection dilemma up front has been a consideration for Scaloni throughout the tournament. Although Julian Alvarez was Argentina’s starting striker in the preparatory matches, he entered the World Cup dealing with an ankle issue that hampered his readiness, causing him to miss the starting lineup for the opening group fixtures against Algeria and Austria.

Julian Alvarez of Argentina. (Getty Images)

In Alvarez’s absence, Martinez assumed the striker role alongside Messi, starting in Argentina’s first four matches. However, he managed only one goal and one assist before Alvarez returned to the lineup for the Round of 16 match against Egypt.

Alvarez offers a distinct skill set to Argentina’s attack, characterized by greater pace that enables him to cover the entire front line — in contrast to Martinez, who typically operates centrally.

This explains why, for the upcoming match against Switzerland, Scaloni has chosen to retain Alvarez’s strengths and maintain the same forward combination that proved effective against Egypt.

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