Switzerland
Can Switzerland win their first knockout round match at a major tournament since 1938?
Switzerland has stood out over the last decade or so as a small country that has done pretty much everything right in football terms. It has an enviable youth development system and has proved adept at harnessing the talent of the country’s second-generation immigrants, who have given the national side a real spark and cutting edge.
Yet, the national team go into the Euro 2020 tournament showing signs of stagnation. Having become regulars at major tournaments, they have found themselves unable to break the round of 16 barrier, falling at that stage on their last three outings – the last two World Cups and Euro 2016.
The last World Cup was an excellent chance to take that next step when they faced a very average Sweden in the last 16, yet instead they went out with a whimper. Their performance, devoid of passion or inspiration, was on a par with the infamous 0-0 draw with Ukraine in 2006, regarded as one of the worst World Cup matches in living memory.
So, it is a familiar story going into Euro 2020 – a team full of talent and experience, high expectations and a coach who wants them to face the top sides as equals, yet surrounded by
Apart from the 1934 and 1938 World Cups, Switzerland have never won a knockout match at a major tournament…this would be the perfect moment to break their duck
doubts over whether they have the special ingredient needed to get them to the quarter-finals or beyond.
Switzerland have been partly victims of their own success in producing players. The best (and some average) ones quickly become too big for the Swiss Super League and move abroad, yet in many cases the move proves premature and they end up as reserves or being shunted to a smaller team. Xherdan Shaqiri, who has suffered extended periods on the bench at Bayern Munich, Internazionale and Liverpool, is a prime example.
Although the coronavirus pandemic has made it hard to gauge their progress since 2018, there have been promising signs. The high point was the 5-2 win over Belgium that took them to the Nations League final four in 2019. They sailed through their Euro qualifying group, losing only one game, and drew twice with Germany and once with Spain in the Nations League last year. Another encouraging sign is that most of their players – with the exception of Shaqiri – are playing regularly.
Apart from the 1934 and 1938 World Cups, Switzerland have never won a knockout match at a major tournament. If coach Vladimir Petkovic wants to prove that his team are no longer “Little Switzerland”, as he said after the 2014 World Cup, this would be the perfect moment to break their duck.