In October 2009 at San Siro Stadium, Inter Milan was trailing 2-1 against Dynamo Kyiv in the UEFA Champions League group stage, when Argentine defender Walter Samuel positioned himself on the edge of the six-yard box to receive a corner kick taken by Wesley Sneijder, heading the ball with a precise header to the far post to score the equalizer, ending the match 2-2, before Inter later went on to claim the title at the end of the season.
Nearly 17 years later, the scene was strikingly repeated in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, when Argentina faced Switzerland.
This time, Alexis Mac Allister positioned himself in almost the same spot to receive a corner kick taken by Lionel Messi, directing it with a header toward the far post to give his national team the lead.
On the sideline, Walter Samuel was present but in his capacity as a member of coach Lionel Scaloni’s technical staff, celebrating the goal that brought to mind the famous San Siro moment.
Mac Allister’s goal contributed to Argentina’s qualification to the World Cup semifinals, where they will face England on Wednesday evening in Atlanta, in the first meeting between the two teams in 21 years.
Samuel was also present in the last match between the two teams, when Argentina lost to England 3-2 in a friendly played in 2005 in Switzerland, which Michael Owen decided with a last-gasp winner.
Alexis Mac Allister’s header against Switzerland became Argentina’s third goal from corner kicks during the 2026 World Cup, the joint-highest tally alongside England and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Two of these three goals came in the match against Cape Verde, where Lisandro Martínez scored the first, while Cristian Romero headed in the second, which ultimately led to an own goal.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said after the win over Switzerland: “We wanted to celebrate with Samuel because he worked a lot on this play; he always insisted that Messi send the ball into that area near the near post. We tried it twice in the previous match, and Walter Samuel deserves praise because he put in a great effort, not only on set pieces.”
He added: “He has been working on these details for a while, and it is natural that he receives recognition. In the end, set pieces do not depend only on height or physical strength. Alexis is not tall, but he is very good in aerial duels. We know our strengths, and we have players capable of putting the ball where we want it.”
With the addition of goals from Giovanni Lo Celso and Lionel Messi from two direct free kicks in the last group-stage match against Jordan, Argentina’s tally reached five goals from set pieces, the highest number the team has scored in a single World Cup edition since this statistic began being recorded in 1966.
Cristian Romero and Enzo Fernández also scored two headers, both during the thrilling comeback against Egypt, although they came from open play.
Argentina’s increased threat in aerial duels is all the more impressive when considering that the team has the third-shortest average height among all participating nations at the World Cup, behind only Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
Finally, the efforts Walter Samuel has been making behind the scenes are beginning to bear fruit, as the Argentine national team benefits from a fierce defensive trio consisting of Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, and Nicolás Otamendi.
This trio follows in the footsteps of Samuel, who earned the nickname “The Wall” during his playing career after defending the colors of Newell's Old Boys, Boca Juniors, Roma, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and Basel.
Former Argentina assistant coach Hugo Tocalli, who worked under José Pékerman and is the father of current goalkeeping coach Martín Tocalli, said: “He is an exceptional assistant coach. Walter understands football wonderfully and does not talk much, but when he speaks his words are worth listening to. The players listen to him and hold him in high regard.”
Walter Samuel played 58 international matches for Argentina before beginning his coaching career as assistant to coach Pierluigi Tami at Swiss club Lugano between 2017 and 2018, then joining Lionel Scaloni’s technical staff with the Argentina national team.
Before the start of the 2026 World Cup, Samuel told the Swiss newspaper Le Temps: “Set pieces have become more important than ever. Argentina is not a team that relies on physical strength, but our strength lies in concentration, positive aggression, and communication between the players. The presence of a goalkeeper who comes out to control the penalty area is also extremely important. If we continue to do all that, it will make the difference.”
During matches, Samuel plays a pivotal role in directing the players, and when Scaloni calls on a substitute, it is Samuel who approaches him holding a pen and a small notebook containing instructions and plans prepared in advance for every scenario.
In an interview with the Argentine Football Association in 2025, Samuel revealed one of the messages he used to convey to the players, saying: “Do not allow others to live what you have lived. Do not allow anyone to win the title that you yourselves can win.”
The players appear to have taken that message to heart, as the Argentine national team is now just two matches away from retaining the World Cup title, before facing a fiery test against their traditional rival, England, in the semifinals.
