FULL REACTION to Argentina vs. Switzerland: Julian Alvarez with the winner! | ESPN FC
ESPN FC's Mark Donaldson and Mark Ogden break down Argentina vs. Switzerland in the World Cup quarterfinals and what the result means moving forward for Lionel Messi, who will now face England in the semifinals. ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN
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[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> ESPN FC Live is presented by Cologuard Plus. >> Hello and welcome Mark Donaldson and Mark Ogden, ESPN FC Live. Argentina are through to the semi-finals of the World Cup. They beat Switzerland by three goals to one in extra time and they'll now face England who also went to extra time and who beat Norway by two goals to one. That was a match that Mark Ogden was at. We will end our coverage today by talking and previewing the two semi-finals, but we are starting with Argentina against Switzerland. Two tired-looking sides in the heat of Kansas City and Argentina going one goal up, but then being pegged back and needing extra time to get the better of Switzerland. Did the best team go through, Mr. Ogden? >> I think overall, yes, but Switzerland were getting some momentum at the time that Embolo was sent off and I thought that were showing that they were stronger, they were better organized, but you know, Argentina have had a few decisions go their way in this World Cup. I think they had another one tonight when obviously Embolo was sent off for a second yellow card after a a VAR review. Uh Paredes was going to be booked for a foul, but it was overturned, and Embolo was was sent off for his second yellow card. So, it was a tough one, but it was probably the right decision. But from that point on, Switzerland dug in, tried to defend deep, and they were quite close to taking it to penalties, but Julián Álvarez scored an absolute worldie to put Argentina back ahead. And I think I think overall they deserved it. I think that they're the team that should be in the semi-final. >> Are we noticing the play in games, whether it was earlier today with England against Norway in the heat of Miami, or today in this one, are we noticing that it's slowing down a bit because players seem to be getting a lot more tired quicker? >> That was definitely the case in Miami. It was It was noticeable during the first half, but it was It was really oppressive in Miami. It was I think at at kickoff time that the feels like temperature is 113° F. Now, I'm not sure what it was in Kansas City, and it was obviously later in the day, but yeah, the heat and the fact that there's a lot of games being played quite close together as well, so I think players are feeling it. And Argentina have got quite a got quite an old squad. I saw Nicolás Otamendi came on later in the game, he's 38, and Messi's 39. So, when you've got players of that age, this sort of physically demanding tournament will will affect them, but you know, I was watching France. I'd say yesterday, but I can't remember what day it is, Mark, to be honest. I think it's Saturday. So, um I I saw France against uh against Morocco, and then France looked fresh, they looked ready for it. They If you look at their mileage, they've barely clocked up any miles, I think they've done 1,500 miles in the tournament. I think England have done about 20,000 miles, so it all adds up. England are feeling the heat, Argentina are feeling the heat, but I think France it's really kind of, you know, pointing towards France winning it, I guess, but you know, they look fresher than anybody else. But England and Argentina, they'll meet in the semi-final, both two very tired teams. But as you know, the emotion in that game will uh will take a a different level, I think. >> Yeah, we'll look at the history of that game shortly. Let's take a look a more in-depth look at Argentina against Switzerland. And the opening goal scored after 10 minutes. It's Alexis Mac Allister that gets his head to a super delivery from Lionel Messi. I thought his movement was outstanding. He managed to get the better of Switzerland. He got away from Breel Embolo. He shouldn't really be getting a free header, but his movements helped, as did the delivery, did it not? >> Yeah, I mean, you're right. He's one of the smallest players on the pitch as well, Mac Allister, cuz Switzerland have got quite a very, you know, a big, commanding defense. And the fact that he was able to find the space, make the movement, you're right. Look, if Lionel Messi's putting the ball in the box, you know it's going to come in. It's going to be whipped in. It's going to be well placed. It's going to be a perfect delivery for a header. But, you've got to get on the end of it. And Mac Allister did that. So, that that was good movement on his part. But, ultimately, Switzerland shouldn't be letting him score a goal with a header in the in the six-yard box. >> Over the piece and over the tournament, I I think what Murat Yakin has done with Switzerland has has been exceptional. Look, a lot of teams would have loved to have been in the group that they are in. You've still got to go and get out of that group. You've got to do well. You've got to then get through the knockout stages. They've reached the quarterfinal. They're probably one of those teams that don't really have that superstar like a lot of the sides do. But, they're very much the sum of their parts. And those parts work hard. >> Yeah, I mean, no team wants to play Switzerland. They're a team that they're well organized. They're physical. They're strong. They've got players who play in all the top leagues in Europe. They you know, they're a they're a team that have got very good players. They've got a very good coach in Murat Yakin as well who, you know, took them to the the quarterfinals of the Euros in 2024. So, the Swiss have basically probably overperformed on this occasion going to the quarterfinals. But, they are a team that you think they can hold their own against most teams. I think that they've done that today as well. They're a team that are awkward, you know, that you'd back your Frances and your Spains your England to beat them over the over the game, but it did make it very difficult. So, Argentina come through their toughest test so far. They've had a bit of an easy run so far, I've got to say at this point, but Switzerland took them all the way, and I thought they would. And obviously, it's a step up next time they face England. >> [clears throat] >> It is. Um Breel Embolo was booked after 44 minutes. The reason is like it's like when you watch the highlights on TV, anytime you see a substitute being shown as part of the highlights, you know something's going to happen. The fact that we're mentioning Breel Embolo's yellow card in 44 is important because in the 60, sorry, in the 72nd minute, and I know we've skipped the Switzerland goal, I'm going to go back to that, but I wanted to bring up Embolo's yellow in reference to the sending off, because you touched upon it earlier and you said it's probably the right decision. And I agree with you because he's initiated the contact, but prior to this World Cup, this isn't something that FIFA could have got involved in. But the laws of the game were tweaked so that it could be seen by VAR, and they've called it mistaken identity. In this case, it was Paredes being booked when he shouldn't have been because it was Embolo. What did you make of the whole way that this was dealt with by the officials? >> Yeah, I mean, ultimately, they are I I think they started to bit have a bit of mission creep in this World Cup. They started to go beyond their remit a little, I think. You know, the incident in the Argentina-Egypt game was one for me where that shouldn't have been disallowed, that goal. I think that the over-analyzing situation now, I think early in the tournament, they were letting a few go. Look, by the by the letter of the law, the right decision was made on Embolo, but I think I think maybe the law is a little bit too tight. I think on this occasion, you just overturn the decision. You You rescind Paredes' yellow card, and you give Argentina a free kick. I don't think I don't think it merited a a yellow card. I think it wasn't a clear dive in the sense that it was just a just trying to win a free kick. I think he was trying to evade the challenge, but it it was a dive. But it I think it there there are shades of gray and I think you can never kind of get to the right point cuz it's all subjective. But I don't I don't think it merits a yellow card, especially when it leads to a sending off. You know, a World Cup quarterfinal, you want these games to be hard-fought and and balanced and you don't want a situation like this. I think that the law needs to be changed a little bit, too, just make it less of double jeopardy, really. You know, you lose the You lose the the free kick, you you get a yellow card, and you get sent off. It's a bit too much, but >> We seem to be talking more about VAR in the knockout stages. It's like they've been kind of held to a different bar, a different height of of bar, a different level of bar, because we've seen incidents that happened in the group stages that are now being dealt differently and being dealt with when they previously weren't. That can't happen. >> No, but I think I think that's a natural human reaction that there's more at stake, isn't it? In the group stages, some of these decisions were let go because the games were what was close and nowadays, the mar- in this at this stage, the quarterfinals, the semifinals, the margins are so tight and the implications are so big and the controversies from that are so big that if you get a a decision wrong in, you know, a World Cup quarterfinal, the ramifications go on. If you get one wrong or you let one go in a in a group stage game where one team's winning 4-0, it doesn't really matter. So, I think I think the focus is just greater now and it'll get even greater, won't it? England-Argentina, France-Spain semifinals. Every decision in those games will be over-analyzed. So, that's just the nature of the beast, unfortunately. >> Well, we know that Michael Oliver won't be refereeing the World Cup final because if England get there, he's English. And if Argentina get there, still too soon since the Falklands conflict in the 1980s. Um Dan Ndoye, a few eyebrows were raised, weren't they, when he joined Forest? What was it, 30-odd million, 34 million pounds on a 5-year deal. Um well, I don't know what he's just done to his transfer fee and how much he's added on to it for the next time he moves, if he does from the city ground. It was a super finish, but it was Ricardo Rodriguez with the assist and the 25-year-old winger, that's a brilliant bit of play to get back on level terms. >> Yeah, he's a good player Dan Ndoye. He's got a lot of pace, lot of movement. He He's not the best at times at Forest, but maybe it's a case of needs to bed in and and and next season really go again and you know, if he does go again, has a great season, I think the Nottingham Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, will make sure he gets value for money, no matter where he goes, but good player. Um can cause teams problems with his pace and his movement and he's good finish as well as he showed tonight. >> So, it's 1-1 um and then it goes to extra time. Look, there wasn't much going on as far as as action is concerned sim- simply because hardly anybody had anything left in the tank. I'm looking at the subs that take place. There's a lot of fresh legs that come on. Argentina tried to freshen things up. Murat Yakin tried to freshen things up as well. Messi stayed on and I suppose that's maybe a beneficial thing for England in the semi-final on Wednesday that that he's played as much as he's played in this tournament. It was 2-1 and it was a stunning goal, wasn't it? In the 112th minute from Julián Álvarez. I commentate on La Liga. I do a lot of Atlético Madrid. Whether or not I'll see him play for Atleti next season remains to be seen. I've seen him do this before. So, yes, it was a surprise because it was such a good goal at such a good time, but what a goal to potentially and as it did put Argentina through to the next round. >> It was a brilliant goal and you're kind of glad that he scored, well, that somebody scored it because I think in this tournament we've been waiting for the support cast to come and rescue Argentina. You know, when Lionel Messi can't do it and you're looking at Julián Álvarez, you're looking at Lautaro Martínez and you know, they haven't quite stepped up and their records I I checked their records out prior to this game and they're really poor. I think, you know, Álvarez has scored one goal all year prior to tonight. Martínez has scored too. So, they don't really come to the party, but maybe they don't have to because Messi does it all the time, but he's 39, so he can't do it all the time. So, I think it was a it was good to see and from England's point of view as well, it was a case of just watch out. It's not just about Lionel Messi. You've got these players who are, you know, top class that can hurt you. So, it was just a a timely reminder to England that don't just spend all your time focusing on Lionel Messi. You've got people like Alvarez and Lautaro who can also cause plenty of damage if if they want to. >> Questions from the viewers. One of them is to do with Julian Alvarez. Is he still underrated despite the fact he was at Manchester City and then Atleti? Barca have been linked. Real Madrid had that bid. I think that was just for the the presidential elections. Do you think he's still underrated, Julian Alvarez? Does he get the credit that he deserves? >> I wouldn't say he's underrated. I'd say he's underappreciated, but that's probably because he plays for Atletico Madrid, you know. He uh >> Sure. >> He I just think it it goes with the territory. If you play for Atleti, you you you kind of lumped in as a part of the team. Well, in that team that in Simeone's a star, but and when he was at Man City, he had a great season, won the treble, but he was playing second fiddle to Erling Haaland, so you're never going to kind of outshine him. So, I think if he gets a move to a I mean, if he was to Real, he's got Mbappé in his way, to be honest, but if he gets himself a move to a a real kind of super club and Atleti are a big club, but they're not in that elite. They've never won the Champions League. If he goes to a Champions League winning club of PSG, a Barcelona, Real Madrid, goes to Arsenal, maybe, then I think Alvarez will be, you know, potentially the star of the team and then you'll you'll see him get him a lot more appreciation and and more applauded for what he deserves. But, he's got to score more goals, I think. He's a good player. He's a great goalscorer, but he doesn't score enough for me. >> Who's winning this Golden Boot? >> I think Mbappé wins it. I I just think that I think Messi's getting to the point now where I think the stronger the opposition, the harder he finds it. I mean, we remember when he was at PSG in that final year or two and he was poor in the Champions League. He looked like an old man. He's gone to Inter Miami. He's been revitalized. he's had a fantastic World Cup, but you have to put into context who he's the teams he's played against, you know, Jordan, Algeria, Austria. Egypt, Cape Verde, that we're not talking about the heavyweights. He's coming up against a good, well-organized Swiss team tonight. He's not scored, he's not really had the impact, so Mbappe's not like that. Mbappe can score against anybody, so I think I think Mbappe probably wins it, but who knows? I mean, Jude Bellingham's in the shakeup now. >> Yeah, he is. That's six and six plus an assist for Jude Bellingham. So, he's just a couple behind. It's just brilliant to see the best in the world competing at the top of the Golden Boot standings. So, Mr. Ogden, um I'll not tell anybody that you have a Maradona 86 away kit hidden away. >> It's hung up in the It's actually hung up in my room. I can't wear it now. >> You can't wear it now. >> No, no. >> But we now have to look back at what we've seen so far from Argentina-England. 1962 group stage, England won 3-1. 1966 World Cup quarterfinals with the asterisk beside it, England 1 Argentina nil. That great header by uh Maradona in '86 when he out-jumped Shilton, super header, um and that own goal from Terry Butcher in the same game which Butcher wants nothing to do with. Argentina win it 2-1, then 4-3 on penalties after the 2-2 in '98, but England got the last laugh in 2002. It's amazing we haven't seen this fixture at a World Cup for 24 years. How confident should England be and how confident should Argentina be? >> Well, they're they're both two elite nations, so they're both confident. They're both think they can win this game. But I I don't think you can call it because there'll be so much emotion at play. And it's 21 years since they played any game. They haven't played a friendly for 21 years, so obviously a lot of these players involved won't even have any recollection being in Argentina against. But I think this is the most iconic World Cup rivalry. You could argue you could argue that Brazil-Italy and I think that's a fair kind of competitor in terms of it's a game that always throws up a story. You mentioned those games that that Mark, you know, obviously '66 the the Argentina captain was sent off, refused to leave the pitch. Alf Ramsey, the England manager, called them animals. '86, obviously Hand of God, uh which you didn't mention. The not the head of it. The Hand of God, not the head. >> No. >> '98, Beckham-Simeone. 2002, Beckham gets revenge with penalty. Every time they meet, but obviously there's all sorts of issues off the pitch as well with you know you know, national rivalries. So, this game has got everything and I think you know, Lionel Messi's never played against England, England's never played against Lionel Messi. So, you know, >> Amazing to think of that, isn't it? >> It's amazing and and this could be his last game in in in international football if England win. I don't think he's going to hang around for third and fourth place playoff in Miami, but who knows? So, uh yeah, I mean, it's a game that the world'll be looking forward to and I think, you know, England can win this game, but what a game. >> Um before we move on, if you were to price I've just got the the the odds, they've just been put up. If you were pricing up this game, who would you make as favorites? >> I'd make England favorites because I think as a collective they're a better team than Argentina, but Argentina listen, Argentina are brilliant band of brothers, aren't they, with a a genius in the team. Maybe I've called that wrong, but I just think I think Argentina's qualities have been overplayed in this tournament because of who they played. I think England have got to this point by, you know, Kane and Bellingham just even Jordan Pickford. So, it is too close to call. I think England are a better team, but they haven't got Lionel Messi, so it's going to be an a sensational occasion at Atlanta. >> It's like you already knew because England are the slightest of slight favorites at 17 to 10. Argentina are nearly two to one with the draw at nine to four. So, the bookies are finding it hard to separate the two sides. Back to the game tonight, Argentina against Switzerland. We saw some really good defensive plays from a lot of the players. Now, the best defensive player presented by ColaGuard Plus, who are you picking? >> Well, I'm picking Gregor Kobel, the Swiss goalkeeper. Now, you could say he's not a defender, but he's defending his goal. And I think but for him, this this game wouldn't have gone to extra time. He made an amazing save from Messi in the second half and another late in the game. So, he's a good keeper, Kobel. He had a, you know, a great performance in the shootout against Colombia. So, I'm going for him. You know, we wouldn't have had an extra 30 minutes and Alvarez's goal but for Kobel taking it to extra time. >> Overall, before we preview the semi-finals, what have you made of Argentina? Cuz you mentioned some of their earlier games were against teams that you'd expec