Argentina face Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup at Kansas City Stadium, and manager Lionel Scaloni opted to leave Lautaro Martinez out of his starting eleven.
This time, Scaloni again chose Julian Alvarez to line up alongside Lionel Messi up front, keeping the same forward pairing that started Argentina’s comeback win over Egypt in the Round of 16.
The decision is purely tactical rather than fitness-related — Martinez is fully available from a physical standpoint and remains an option to be introduced from the bench if the match calls for it.
Scaloni’s ongoing attacking dilemma
The question up front is something Scaloni has been weighing since the start of the tournament. While Alvarez had been Argentina‘s starting striker in the matches leading up to the World Cup, he arrived at the tournament managing an ankle issue that limited his preparation, keeping him out of the starting lineup for Argentina’s first two group games, against Algeria and Austria.
Julian Alvarez of Argentina. (Getty Images)
In his place, Martinez took over the striker role alongside Messi, and the Inter Milan forward started in each of Argentina’s first four matches. However, the forward managed just one goal and one assist before Alvarez took over for the Round of 16 clash against Egypt.
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Alvarez brings a different set of qualities to Argentina’s attack, with more pace that allows him to roam across the entire front line, unlike Martinez, who tends to operate through the center.
That’s why, for this match against Switzerland, Scaloni opted to stick with Alvarez’s attributes and keep the same forward line that got the job done against Egypt.
