How do you stop Argentina from winning? That’s precisely the question that billions of people are asking as we enter the home stretch of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

For a while, it seemed that Argentina were the masters of playing well enough to reach the final, but not actually win it: between 2014 and 2016, they reached three consecutive finals, losing each in heartbreaking fashion.

And after a humiliating Round of 16 exit to champions France in 2018, it seemed that the Albiceleste were doomed for more disappointment. It seemed that Lionel Messi would never win a major trophy with the Argentine senior team.

However, since Lionel Scaloni’s appointment in 2018, Argentina’s fortunes have started to turn around. After a bronze-medal finish in 2019, Argentina shocked everyone by winning the 2021 Copa América against hosts Brazil to secure their first major title in three decades.

They followed that up by winning the World Cup in Qatar, ending a 36-year-long search for their third star, before claiming yet another Copa in the USA in 2024. In doing so, they equalled Spain 2008-12 as the sole national team to win three consecutive major trophies. And today, they have the opportunity to do something that no team has ever done: win four in a row.

After kicking off their 2026 World Cup campaign with routine victories against Algeria, Austria and Jordan, it seemed that Argentina were headed for a straightforward path to their third World Cup Final in four editions.

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What they got was a rude awakening, as debutants Cape Verde pushed them all the way to extra time in Miami, only to end up losing 3-2. Argentina looked headed for their worst result of the Scaloni era as Egypt raced to a 2-0 lead in Atlanta, but they would pull off a miraculous comeback by scoring three goals in the final quarter-hour to secure their spot in the quarter-final against Switzerland.

When Alexis Mac Allister headed home in the 10th minute, it seemed that Argentina were set for their first straightforward win of the knockout round. Switzerland, though, had other plans. They wrestled control of the match in the second half, forcing Emiliano Martínez into a number of saves, and eventually got their just rewards as Dan Ndoye equalised in the 67th minute.

But their mirth was fleeting as Breel Embolo picked up a second yellow for simulation, leaving the Swiss with a mountain to climb. Whilst they were able to hold out for extra time, they fell short of a penalty shootout as Julián Álvarez broke the deadlock with a long-range missile, whilst Lautaro Martínez sealed the deal in the final seconds in Kansas City.

“Obviously, you have to suffer, you have to know how to suffer,” said Álvarez after the match. “That’s how the matches are playing out right now. The opponents we’ve faced have played very well, too. There are things we can improve on our end as well, but in a World Cup things happen the way they happen, the teams are very strong.”

Each of the four semi-finalists has a defining characteristic. France are marked by their collection of superstar attackers, who are capable of taking over a match at a moment’s notice. Spain are marked by their patient, technical, possession-based play style and an unparalleled midfield dominance that controls the tempo, whilst England are marked by their positional discipline and efficiency in clutch moments. But as for Argentina, their resilience is undoubtedly their main asset.

Over the past few years, Argentina have been able to recover their deep-rooted cultural mindset that embraces collective suffering and sacrifice. Whilst Lionel Messi is still leading the line to perfection, he’s no longer single-handedly carrying the team like he did in the first decade of his international career.

Instead, this team shares responsibility and leverages close-proximity passing to overcome tactical and physical adversity: sometimes Messi will come up with the decisive contribution, but sometimes it will be another player like Álvarez, Cristian Romero or Enzo Fernández. Even though these players are playing for Messi, they also know that they possess the individual quality to make the difference.

“I think the strength of this group and the union that we have both on and off the pitch [are the main things that have improved],” stated Argentina’s Thiago Almada to Firstpost. “We’re not always going to play well, which is what we want to do. We’re not always going to attack and win every game 3-0, even though that would be the most beautiful thing. Sometimes, you’re going to face a tough rival that plays well. Sometimes, you’re going to have to suffer, like we’ve done in this World Cup, and the important thing is that we keep moving forward.”

Argentina have embraced grit and sacrifice by fighting tooth and nail for victories and instilling a belief that they can navigate difficult deficits and stage dramatic comebacks. Scaloni has fostered a team that is capable of adapting to any situation, be that executing a technical, possession-based game, soaking up pressure in a tight defensive block, or shifting to quick counter-attacks.

They’re skilled at suffocating opposition spaces, forcing opponents to overcommit and giving themselves the control to manipulate the tempo of the game, and they’re also adept at ramping up attacks and flooding the opposing box with crosses and shots.

“In Qatar, we were not that experienced, myself included, and those kinds of situations were very difficult,” stated Scaloni after the Switzerland match. “However, now we are more experienced because we know what it feels like to be dominated by the opponent, to concede an equaliser, so today we kept our composure. The team knew how to remain calm and, of course, we will never give up. [Switzerland] were very strong, and they made that struggle in the one versus one in different areas of the pitch. We suffered quite a lot. We knew that we were going to suffer, and this is part of our blood, this is part of our DNA, and this brings peace of mind.”

Argentina will now head east to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where they will be taking on England, another team that has been made to sweat throughout its various fixtures. The only time that England played in Atlanta this tournament, they trailed for the near-entirety of the match, only to end up winning 2-1 against the Democratic Republic of the Congo courtesy of Harry Kane’s late brace.

The only time Argentina played in Atlanta, they found themselves trailing 2-0 in the dying minutes, only to prevail 3-2 against Egypt.

Which team will book their ticket for the final in New Jersey, and which team will head to the third-place match in Miami? Stay tuned for what promises to be a thrilling battle in Georgia.