Granit Xhaka, currently playing for Sunderland, apologized and admitted that this was a "mistake" in an Instagram post. Not long after that, the Swiss Football Association (SFV) confirmed that the 33-year-old midfielder would be absent from the first matches of the Nations League campaign.
The incident was reported by the Swiss media from last weekend. According to Blick, Xhaka used a fake vaccination certificate provided by a doctor. This person is currently under investigation by authorities.
The Lucerne prosecutor's office has opened an investigation and is expected to work with Xhaka next month.
In his apology, Xhaka said that he had many doubts about the vaccine. Instead of finding answers through official channels, the midfielder chose to use a fake vaccination certificate.
Now I clearly understand that it was a wrong decision. I am very sorry for what happened. I take responsibility for my choice, and at the same time fully cooperate with the authorities to clarify the matter" - Xhaka shared.
SFV then confirmed that the Swiss national team captain will not participate in matches against Northern Macedonia, Scotland and Slovenia in the Nations League.
Xhaka's absence is a significant loss of experience for Switzerland. He currently holds the record of 152 caps for the national team and is their leader at the 2026 World Cup, where Switzerland advanced to the quarterfinals.
SFV President Peter Knabel said that the decision was made after a meeting between Xhaka and the federation. The two sides will re-evaluate the situation after the gathering, before discussing the possibility of the Sunderland midfielder returning to the national team in November.
We respect Xhaka's initiative to accept the consequences of his decision. After discussion, everyone agreed that his absence from this gathering was a suitable choice for the whole team" - Knabel said.
