"Argentina is Rocky": the world press stands in awe of the National Team

The qualification of the Argentine National Team to the 2026 World Cup semifinals had a huge international impact. After the hard-fought 3-1 victory over Switzerland in extra time, major media outlets around the world agreed on highlighting the competitive spirit of the team led by Lionel Scaloni, who once again overcame an adverse match to continue the quest for back-to-back championships.

While there were some criticisms regarding the controversial expulsion of Breel Embolo and the team's occasionally lackluster performance, the predominant tone was one of admiration for the strength of the Albiceleste and, especially, for the enduring presence of Lionel Messi.

In Spain, the recognition was almost unanimous. Marca chose a striking headline: "The champion feels invincible", emphasizing that Argentina once again demonstrated its ability to survive in the most difficult moments. The newspaper highlighted that Julián Álvarez appeared "at the right moment" to break a long drought and seal the qualification, although it warned that Scaloni's team would need to raise its level to face England.

Sport also highlighted the Argentine forward's prominence with the title "Julián Álvarez comes to the rescue in extra time with a legendary goal", while Mundo Deportivo celebrated that the goal from the Córdoba native allowed Messi to play in the World Cup classic against England that was missing from his extraordinary career. It even made an emotional reference to Diego Maradona to illustrate the significance of that qualification.

The most critical voices within Spain came from As, which ironically titled "Much Araña, much VAR". Journalist Aritz Gabilondo stated that Argentina "has seven lives" and questioned the refereeing intervention that led to Embolo's expulsion, although he also acknowledged the quality of the goal scored by Julián Álvarez when the match seemed headed for penalties.

In England, they have already begun to anticipate the semifinal. The Guardian set aside the refereeing controversy and focused on the Argentine forward's performance, highlighting "The genius of Julián Álvarez in extra time sinks a Switzerland with ten men". Additionally, it described the upcoming clash between Argentina and England as a true high-voltage showdown.

On the other hand, the sensationalist The Sun took a provocative approach and opened its coverage with the phrase "Argentina, with twelve men, defeated the Switzerland of ten players", referring to the expulsion of the Swiss forward. However, the newspaper clarified that this would be the reading of "conspiracy theorists," somewhat downplaying the accusation.

One of the most laudatory analyses came from The Athletic, the sports section of The New York Times, which defined the National Team as a squad that always finds a way to survive. Under the title "Argentina's path is bumpy. Lionel Messi remains unflappable", it highlighted the competitive personality of Scaloni's team and the constant influence of the captain, even in matches where he does not score.

The American outlet described Messi as the player who controls the game from a place of calm, comparing his evolution to that of Michael Jordan in the final years of his career and asserting that, at 39 years old, he remains the absolute axis of Argentine play. It also emphasized Scaloni's honesty in admitting that the team had "luck" and recalled the captain's message after the victory: "Once again, we had to suffer. But this team never stops believing."

In Italy, La Gazzetta dello Sport opted for a more football-centric analysis. While it rated Argentina's performance as modest for much of the match, it noted that the world champion once again resolved the game when it needed it most and highlighted the effectiveness of Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez in extra time.

From Brazil, Lance! also emphasized the drama of the match and titled: "Messi goes blank, but Argentina defeats Switzerland in extra time and advances in the Cup", highlighting the team's ability to prevail in another high-tension duel.

Finally, Bild, from Germany, chose a striking image of the Argentine captain to illustrate the victory and titled "Bloody victory for Messi", referring to the cut he suffered near his eye during the match.

Amidst praise for the competitive spirit of the National Team, new displays of admiration for Lionel Messi, and some specific criticisms regarding the VAR's performance, the international press agreed on a central idea: Argentina once again demonstrated that it knows how to survive when it suffers the most and remains one of the top contenders for the title. Now, the challenge will be England, in a semifinal that the whole world is already eagerly anticipating.