FIFA will be delighted to see their golden goose, Lionel Messi, progress to the later rounds of the World Cup – by hook or by crook. Controversial? Maybe. But that’s for another day. For now, I’m looking ahead to an intriguing quarter-final clash in Kansas City between Argentina and Switzerland in the early hours of Sunday morning. Let’s jump in.
TL;DR – Three Picks for My Argentina vs Switzerland Bet Builder
| Bet | Bookie | Odds | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina to win (90 mins) | Betfred | 7/10 | 3 |
| Granit Xhaka to be booked | Betfred | 23/10 | 1 |
| Lionel Messi to score | William Hill | 4/5 | 2 |
| Bet builder | Betfred | 6.7/1 | 1 |
No Expiry Date
*Odds correct at 12:00 BST on 09/07/2026. Odds subject to change.
Bet 1: Argentina to Win
Before a ball was kicked, I spoke about how Argentina were a dark horse this year. Well, maybe ‘dark horse’ for the reigning champions was a stretch, but there wasn’t a ton of noise around them going back-to-back, at least.
I think much of the trepidation stemmed from whether Messi could still cut it at the top level. Eight goals, and now the all-time scorer in World Cup finals, later, it’s safe to say the little maestro is still the GOAT.
Switzerland will be no pushover. They’ve only conceded three goals so far and look highly compact at the back. If they are to progress, they will need to be on top form on Sunday to contain a clinical Argentinian front line. A hurdle I fear will be too high.
Looking at the markets, World Cup odds of 7/10 for Argentina to win are fair. Not great, but good enough.
Bet 2: Granit Xhaka to be Booked
If Switzerland are to upset the odds, they will need their midfield general to be on top form. Granit Xhaka has been an integral part of the team so far, pulling the strings in a slightly deeper role than he would at club level.
He will, however, come up against some of the world’s best, and to stop them, he will need to use the physicality he’s so well known for to good effect.
I toyed with the idea of betting on the fouls market for Xhaka, but actually, he doesn’t commit all that many. In fact, so far he’s only tallied two, but what’s notable is the severity of the fouls, with both leading to yellow cards.
Backing players to be booked on teams that are on their way out generally pays off. Odds of 23/10 with the best World Cup betting sites suggest there’s value here, especially if Argentina manage to get ahead early.
Bet 3: Lionel Messi to Score
It feels wrong not to back this. Eight goals so far from one of the all-time greats, and he just keeps performing, even at the ripe old age of 38.
Some of the goalscorer odds so far have been crazy. And not in a good way. I’ve seen both Mbappe and Haaland at 1/4 in the group stages, which is just bonkers.
But we can get 4/5 for Lionel Messi to get one here, and I think that’s a good price.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him carry Argentina through to the next round – again – and he’s proving that, even though he now plays in the MLS, he can still cut it at the highest level.
