Ruben Vargas: "We Made History, The Feeling Is Incredible"

Switzerland is celebrating one of the most significant victories in its football history, with Ruben Vargas at the heart of the drama. The Sevilla winger stepped up to take the decisive penalty in the thrilling clash against Colombia in Vancouver and coolly slotted it home, sending his team into the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup. Immediately after the match, Vargas couldn't hide his excitement.

"I don't think it's fully sunk in yet. I thank God for this moment. I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to play. Somehow, we managed to give it a try, and now, looking back, I'm just grateful and happy that I could help the team. The team worked incredibly hard and fought for over 120 minutes. It wasn't easy to play football out there today. And now we've made history. The feeling is just incredible," an emotional Vargas shared.

The forward's participation in this Round of 16 match was in serious doubt until the very last minute. The day before the game, he and Djibril Sow had to leave team training early for medical examinations. Coach Murat Yakin admitted before the match that their potential absence would be a huge blow, especially after it was confirmed that rising star Johan Manzambi was out with a knee injury.

Despite the pain, Vargas came on as a substitute and proved to be the decisive factor. His presence provided the necessary energy for the Swiss in a match that turned into a true tactical and physical battle on the pitch at BC Place Stadium.