All eyes are on the anticipated clash between Argentina and Switzerland in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, which brings back memories of the famous encounter between the two sides in the round of 16 of the 2014 Brazil World Cup, decided by the tango with a dramatic extra-time goal.

This matchup takes on an exceptional historical character thanks to the presence of only four players who lived through that era 12 years ago and remain steadfast in both squads to this day, leading their national teams in a fierce battle for a spot in the semifinals of the current World Cup.

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In the Swiss camp, the striking force and long experience stand out through the veteran duo Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodriguez; both started in the 2014 match and return today with much football maturity, especially Xhaka, who has transformed from a young player substituted in the second half of that match into an inspiring captain of the 'Swiss Watch' brigade, carrying his country's hopes of avenging the historical debt against the tango dancers.

On the Argentine side, the living legend Lionel Messi leads the scene, the sole survivor of the tango lineup that set foot on the pitch that Brazilian night and created the qualification goal for his teammate Angel Di Maria, as Messi seeks to confirm his historical superiority and lead his country one step further towards retaining the world title. Joining Messi in the current squad is veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi, who, despite being left out of the final squad for the Brazil World Cup at the last moment, represents alongside Messi the generation of resilient giants in the journey to defend Argentina's World Cup crown.