Argentina will face England in the World Cup semi-finals in Atlanta on Wednesday evening after they saw off 10-man Switzerland in Kansas City following a 3-1 triumph after extra-time14:46, 12 Jul 2026Argentina believe they have a clean bill of health following their hard-fought 3-1 quarter-final victory over Switzerland after extra-time, despite several injury scares.‌Lionel Messi's right eye was left bloodied while Cuti Romero and Leandro Paredes both ended up being subbed off due to physical exhaustion.‌Messi's eye was treated during the game following a strong challenge from Granit Xhaka but was able to continue as the discomfort subsided after a few minutes and is expected to be fine, even if his eye swells because there are several days to recover before facing England in Atlanta.‌Meanwhile, Tottenham captain Romero has issued an update on his condition after he was taken off at half-time of extra-time.He had to race against the clock to be fit for the tournament after suffering an MCL injury in a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland with Spurs in April.Romero said: “I hadn't played for more than three months. The heat and everything made it difficult. I finished a bit tired, and the coach put [Nicolas] Otamendi in, who was fresher."‌Paredes is also expected to recover for England even though he was unable to complete the full match due to tiredness.Romero insisted after his side's victory in Kansas City that they cannot take for granted reaching the World Cup semi-finals despite winning the competition in Qatar back in 2022.He continued: “We mustn't confuse things, it's football. It's incredible. That's just how we are; in Argentina, they say that if you don't suffer, it's not worth it. We truly don't fully grasp everything we've been doing over the last 10 years.‌Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!"I hope Argentinians can relate to us, because we truly give our all for the shirt. It was evident again today; we kept running, kept fighting, until the very last minute. Sometimes you play well, sometimes badly, but the important thing is always to get back up and keep going.”‌Worryingly for England, Julian Alvarez is back in form as he struck a stunner in the second-half of extra-time to bail Argentina out against 10-man Switzerland.Messi reflected after helping his side over the line: "It was important for us to take this step to have a more relaxed week before what's coming."This group competes and never stops pushing, wanting more, continuing to be at the level of the best. What this group has done is extraordinary. To be World Champions, win two Copa America titles, and be back in a semifinal among the top four. What they're doing is extraordinary, and that's why we have to enjoy it.Article continues below"Just like everyone else is experiencing it, and like we are too. We'll go there to compete once again, as we always do, against a powerhouse, a great team. Now it's time to rest and try to arrive in the best possible shape."Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.