Only one semifinal place is up for grabs, and the last non-European team standing, with some players walking a disciplinary tightrope.
Yellow alert: Which Argentina and Switzerland players are one booking away from missing the World Cup semifinal?
Argentina and Switzerland meet in the final quarterfinal of the 2026 World Cup with four players facing the threat of suspension.
Argentina have only one player walking the disciplinary tightrope: Gonzalo Montiel. Another yellow card against Switzerland would rule the defender out of the semifinal should Lionel Scaloni’s team advance.
Switzerland have considerably more to worry about. Captain Granit Xhaka, Denis Zakaria and Miro Muheim are all carrying a yellow card into the game. If any of the three is booked and the Swiss pull off the upset, that player would miss their first World Cup semifinal.
Argentina players one booking away from suspension
- Gonzalo Montiel
Switzerland players one booking away from suspension
- Granit Xhaka
- Denis Zakaria
- Miro Muheim
The pressure is especially significant for Switzerland, with Xhaka one of their most influential players and the captain of Murat Yakin’s team. The Swiss are already without Johan Manzambi, who has been ruled out of the quarterfinal with a knee injury.
Argentina reached this stage after coming from behind to beat Egypt 3-2 in the round of 16. Switzerland progressed after a goalless draw with Colombia, winning the penalty shootout 4-3 to reach their first World Cup quarterfinal since 1954.
Yellow cards are cleared after the quarterfinal stage. That means any player who avoids another caution will enter the semifinals without the threat of an accumulation suspension, although red-card bans would still apply.
All World Cup quarterfinalist players at risk
Every nation arrived at the quarterfinals in the tournament with at least one player just a booking away from a suspension.
- Norway: Antonio Nusa
- England: Jude Bellingham, Nico O’Reilly, Declan Rice, Marc Guehi
- Spain: Ferran Torres
- Belgium: Brandon Mechele
- Argentina: Gonzalo Montiel
- Switzerland: Granit Xhaka, Denis Zakaria, Miro Muheim
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