Switzerland: matches, team and player to follow from the National team to the 2022 World Cup

In Qatar, Switzerland will play its 11th World Cup final phase.

Accustomed to major events, the Nati remains on four qualifications in a row in the round of 16 of a World Cup.

In 2018, it was stopped at this stage of the competition by Sweden.

With a good squad, made up of experienced players who have played international games, Switzerland could hope to do it again, like during the last Euro against France.

The story

Switzerland has many players of Albanian origin in its ranks and had already faced Serbia in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup. The Nati had won and the two evening scorers, Xhaka and Shaqiri, had mimicked the Eagle present on the Albanian flag in celebration.

What trigger anger in Serbia where resentment against the Albanians is strong because of the thorny issue of Kosovo.

Form of the Swiss team

Despite a completely failed start to the competition in the League of Nations, Switzerland was able to raise the bar to conclude this edition with three victories in a row, including two prestigious ones against Portugal (1-0) then Spain (1-2).

Previously, she had finished at the top of her qualifying group for the World Cup, ahead of Italy, absent in Qatar.

In the emirate, Switzerland will want to get out of this group G but Serbia represents a sizeable competition in this race for the round of 16.

Less qualitative on paper, the Swiss selection has the non-negligible advantage of experience in the World Cup.

Executives such as Granit Xhaka or Ricardo Rodriguez will play their third consecutive World Cup.

It will even be the fourth for Xherdan Shaqiri.

The 26 players selected

The executioners of France during the last Euro come back without a lot of surprises, and with most of their major forces.

Note, for particularity, the presence of four goalkeepers among the 26 players selected by Murat Yakin, who decided to take Yann Sommer in his suitcases despite his ankle injury contracted at the end of October.

The unshakable Xherdan Shaqiri becomes co-record holder of the number of major tournament appearances with Switzerland, with his sixth competition under the jersey of the "Nati".

Finally, Ligue 1 players Breel Embolo (AS Monaco) and Jonas Omlin (Montpellier) are on the trip.

• Goalkeepers:

  Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Köhn (RB Salzburg), Omlin (Montpellier), Sommer (Mönchengladbach)

• Defenders:

  Akanji (Manchester City), Comert (Valencia), Elvedi (Mönchengladbach), Rodriguez (Torino), Schär (Newcastle), Widmer (Mainz)

• Midfielders:

  Aebischer (Bologna), Fassnacht (Young Boys Bern), Fernandes (Mainz), Frei (Basel), Freuler (Nottingham Forest), Jashari (FC Luzern), Rieder (Young Boys Bern), Sow (Eintracht Frankfurt), Xhaka (Arsenal), Zakaria (Chelsea)

• Forwards:

  Embolo (Monaco), Okafor (RB Salzburg), Seferovic (Galatasaray), Shaqiri (Chicago Fire), Steffen (FC Lugano), Vargas (FC Augsburg)

The probable composition

LP

The Nati's tactical scheme rarely changes and its coach Marat Yakin remains faithful to this 4-2-3-1 most of the time.

Switzerland relies on a well-identified backbone with Sommer in goal, a solid central defense Elvedi-Akanji, a hub in the middle with Granit Xhaka and a leading striker, in this case Breel Embolo who seems to have taken the over on Haris Seferović.

Player to watch: Yann Sommer

Yann Sommer the goalkeeper of the Swiss team, here against the Czech Republic on September 27th.

DeFodi Images / Icon Sport

He is not the most popular goalkeeper in Europe, but he does not have much to envy the best.

Although injured since the end of October and uncertain despite his selection, the Borussia Mönchengladbach goalkeeper is a safe bet in this position on the old continent.

This June 28, 2021, it was he who repelled Kylian Mbappé's shot on goal at the Euro, precipitating the elimination of the Blues.

With a modest size for a goalkeeper (1.83m), he compensates with incredible reflexes on his line.

In Qatar, he could play his fourth major international competition with the Nati.

And there are, behind him, many qualities in the position with in particular Gregor Kobel, Philipp Köhn and Jonas Omlin, also selected.

The pool matches of the Swiss team