Switzerland stun Italy to reach Euro 2024 quarterfinals

Rubén Vargas needed only 27 seconds after the restart to turn a tight knockout match into a statement victory, driving in from the left side of the area and firing an unstoppable finish past Gianluigi Donnarumma. His goal in the 46th minute sealed Switzerland’s 2-0 win over Italy at the Olympiastadion in Berlin and sent the Swiss into the Euro 2024 quarterfinals.

The result said as much about Switzerland’s control as it did about Vargas’s finish. Remo Freuler had opened the scoring in the 37th minute, finishing after Vargas supplied the cross from the left. By halftime, Italy were already under pressure; by the time the second half had barely started, Switzerland had doubled their lead and forced the defending champions into a chase they never solved.

Italy entered the round of 16 as the reigning European champion, but Switzerland handled the occasion with sharper movement, cleaner transitions and a clearer plan in the decisive moments. Vargas’s goal was not simply a highlight. It exposed how quickly Switzerland could attack the space behind Italy’s shape, and how fragile the holders looked once they fell behind. The first goal came from width and timing; the second came from the same pattern, finished with more force and even less mercy.

For Switzerland, the win carried rare historical weight. It was the first time the national side had beaten Italy since 1993, and only the second time Switzerland had reached the European Championship quarterfinals. Against one of the continent’s traditional powers, Murat Yakin’s side produced a result that underlined both discipline and ambition.

Afterward, Yakin said his team showed it could compete against Europe’s biggest sides. The performance backed up that claim. Switzerland did not just survive a meeting with the holders in Berlin. It controlled the key moments, punished Italy twice, and left the tournament’s defending champions out before the quarterfinal stage.