Swiss coach Ottmar Hitzfeld suffered a huge personal loss with the death of his 81-year-old brother hours before his side's World Cup last 16 match with Argentina, the Swiss Football Federation announced.

"Winfried (81), the brother of Ottmar, has died of leukaemia," a federation spokesman told AFP.

"Ottmar will stay here (in Brazil) with the team, he will not reply to questions about it.

"The team will not wear armbands (for the match)."

Hitzfeld, who has guided Switzerland to two successive World Cup finals, said earlier this year he would bring the curtain down on his glittering career when the Swiss bow out of the tournament.

The last 16 match kicks off at 1600GMT in Sao Paulo.