Argentina receive good news on eve of quarter-final
Lionel Messi’s side got news of a positive nature ahead of their game against Switzerland.
Argentina are still on the hunt to defend their World Cup title won back in 2022, and the side have received good news on the eve of their quarter-final against Switzerland with the confirmation that Swiss star Johan Manzambi will not make it back in time to feature in the game.
Undoubtedly Switzerland’s main attacking threat, Manzambi had, until the knee injury, played what many were labelling his breakout tournament. Across just 200 minutes on the pitch at the World Cup, he scored three goals with two assists in a Switzerland side that are not known for their attacking fluidity.
“Unfortunately, Johan Manzambi’s injury hurts us enormously,” Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin revealed ahead of the game. “It was a real shock. He had momentum on his side. You could see the joy with which he was playing and also how his teammates responded. You could see how well everything had been functioning during this tournament. We tried everything that we could to get him back. Unfortunately, he can’t play.”
“That’s very painful, but we’ll absorb that as a team,” he concluded.
🚨💣 EXCLUSIVE | Newcastle and SC Freiburg have reached a full agreement over the transfer of Johan Manzambi worth €60m.
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) July 9, 2026
All agreed between the clubs. #NUFC are now finalising the final details of the agreement with Manzambi. Long-term contract prepared.
Aston Villa were also… pic.twitter.com/2omcWbVPwo
Who is Johan Manzambi?
Off the pitch, Manzambi’s future looks set for Newcastle, with reports that a bid around $60 million has been locked in with Freiburg and an agreement is in place with the player. However, the player has not signed on the dotted line and will not do so until his World Cup journey ends.
In 58 games for Freiburg, the 20-year-old scored 8 goals and managed 11 assists from midfield, leading his side to the final of the Europa League, where they lost 3-0 to Premier League side Aston Villa.
Argentina will face Switzerland in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, July 11, at 9:00 p.m. ET (8:00 p.m. local time in Kansas City). The match will be played at Kansas City Stadium, with a place in the semifinals against either Norway or England on the line.
Weather conditions are looking, at the time of writing, potentially challenging, with temperatures expected to sit around 82°F (28°C) at kickoff. There is, it must be said, a high chance of showers or thunderstorms, which could cause delays.
🤕🇨🇭𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗭𝗔𝗠𝗕𝗜 (𝟮𝟬) is 𝗢𝗨𝗧 of Switzerland’s World Cup quarter-final against Argentina.
— Rising Stars XI (@RisingStarXI) July 10, 2026
🗣️ Switzerland Head Coach Murat Yakin:
“We tried 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 we could to get him back, but unfortunately, he won’t be available tomorrow.”
𝗔 𝗛𝗨𝗚𝗘… pic.twitter.com/kL4V1EgCrq
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