Overview
This is the sixth consecutive time Switzerland has qualified for the World Cup, and this team will headquarter in San Diego throughout the tournament. Going along with a ticket to North America are bigger than ever expectations for Switzerland.
We want to have the most successful World Cup in the history of Swiss football" - head coach Murat Yakin shared. "Being very close to the EURO 2024 semi-finals gives us the belief to continue to dream big.
Switzerland has never passed the quarter-finals at World Cups. The last time they participated in this round was at a tournament held at home in 1954. Since then, their journey has often ended in the round of 16, most recently the 1-6 defeat to Portugal at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
However, there are many reasons for fans to expect a memorable campaign. Switzerland had a very impressive qualifying round when they topped the group including Kosovo, Slovenia and Sweden, with a record of four wins and two draws.
The current squad is a harmonious combination of experience and youth. Veterans such as Granit Xhaka, Manuel Akanji and Ricardo Rodriguez continue to play the leading role, while Dan Ndoye, Fabian Rieder and Johan Manzambi represent the promising next generation.
The force situation also brings positive signals. Striker Zeki Amdouni has fully recovered from his anterior cruciate ligament injury and is ready to participate in the World Cup.
In addition, Noah Okafor also returned to the national team after a period of being eliminated due to conflicts arising after EURO 2024. The Leeds United striker has publicly apologized to Murat Yakin as well as his teammates and is currently assessed to be in his best form in his career.
In terms of tactics, the 4-2-3-1 formation is still the system that Yakin prioritizes using. However, recently he has also tested the 3-4-3 formation, with Denis Zakaria being positioned in the right-back position. This system helped Switzerland advance to the quarter-finals of EURO 2024.
Coach
Murat Yakin is receiving the greatest trust since taking over the national team.
Ricardo Rodriguez is one of the players who praised the 50-year-old coach a lot. This veteran defender said: "Murat is doing his job very well. Over the years, he has become more open, communicating more with the players. He regularly listens to our opinions and creates a very positive atmosphere".
Yakin's appointment to replace Vladimir Petkovic in August 2021 surprised many people. At that time, he was leading FC Schaffhausen in the Swiss Second Division and had not had many outstanding successes.
During his work, Yakin also could not avoid difficult times, especially before EURO 2024 when the team played unconvincingly and Granit Xhaka publicly criticized the coaching staff.
However, his excellent performance at EURO changed everything. After that tournament, Yakin was extended his contract until 2028 and continued to receive support from the Swiss Football Federation.
Star
At the age of 33, Granit Xhaka is still the most important factor of the Swiss national team. The former Arsenal player continues to play a central role in the playing style, regulating the pace of the match and creating a balance between attack and defense.
This may be the last World Cup for the player who holds the record for the number of appearances for the Swiss national team. However, with his current form, the possibility of him continuing to play internationally after the tournament is still entirely possible.
After two successful seasons at Bayer Leverkusen, Xhaka continues to maintain his class in Sunderland's colors, making a great contribution to helping the team win a ticket to the Europa League.
As this midfielder himself once likened, he is like a bottle of premium red wine - the older the year, the more valuable it becomes.
Notable faces
Johan Manzambi is emerging as one of the most promising talents of Swiss football.
The midfielder born in 2004 made a strong impression in Freiburg's colors, attracting attention from a series of big clubs in Europe. Almost every week, new rumors related to the future of this versatile player appear.
Manzambi can play in many different positions such as defensive midfielder, central midfielder, attacking midfielder or even center forward.
Many experts believe that Manzambi can completely become the most expensive Swiss player in history after the World Cup if he continues to maintain his current development momentum.
The silent hero
Remo Freuler is clear proof of perseverance in football. The midfielder born in Zurich was once assessed as not qualified enough to play for Grasshoppers, forced to move down to the Second Division to wear the Winterthur shirt.
After that, he gradually affirmed himself at Luzern before moving to Atalanta in 2016 in the skepticism of many people. In Italy, Freuler developed into one of the most stable midfielders in Serie A and increasingly played an important role in the national team jersey.
Since the 2018 World Cup, he has almost become Granit Xhaka's perfect partner in midfield. The ability to work tirelessly, the intelligence in movement and effective tackling help Freuler become an indispensable link in Murat Yakin's system.
