Argentina's 4-3-3 was designed to overload Uruguay's midfield four, with Mac Allister acting as the pivot and De Paul and Enzo Fernández making late runs beyond the striker line. The key tactical battle was Ugarte vs. Messi: whenever Ugarte pressed high, Messi drifted into the half-spaces vacated, and Argentina consistently exploited this — the free-kick goal itself was a direct consequence of Ugarte over-committing. Uruguay's equaliser exposed Argentina's vulnerability to aerial deliveries from wide areas; Romero and Lisandro Martínez were both drawn to Núñez's run, leaving the back post unguarded. Bielsa's decision to play a compact 4-4-2 without a dedicated press was pragmatic but ultimately conceded too much space to Messi in the final 20 minutes, where his assist for Álvarez proved decisive. Argentina's defensive solidity — only 4 shots on target conceded — reflects the world-class partnership between Romero and Lisandro Martínez at centre-back.

• Messi registered a goal and an assist — his 14th and 15th World Cup knockout-stage direct contributions across four tournaments.
• Darwin Núñez's header was Uruguay's first goal against Argentina in a competitive knockout fixture since 1930.
• Emiliano Martínez made 4 saves, including a crucial 88' stop from Valverde's 25-yard drive.
• Argentina's xG of 2.31 was their highest in a knockout game since the 2022 final — underlining Messi's creative dominance.
• Uruguay's 4-4-2 block limited Argentina to just 3 shots in the first 30 minutes before the free-kick broke the deadlock.
• Julián Álvarez's winner was his 5th goal in World Cup knockout matches — the most of any active Argentine player not named Messi.