Switzerland.
Such an impressive team, and a fantastic coaching job by Murat Yakin. I'm not sure you could ask for much more from a coaching perspective.
Switzerland have shown outstanding tactical flexibility throughout the tournament. They can switch between an aggressive man-to-man press, as they did against Argentina, or adopt a more conservative defensive approach depending on the opposition.
In possession, they produce excellent positional attacks with multiple solutions to beat different pressing structures. They are also tactically flexible, capable of changing their attacking structure and playing with different systems depending on the demands of the game. Capable also to take risks in deep build-up from goal-kicks to control more the games with the ball.
They have so many versatile players who can perform in different roles and positions, making the team much more unpredictable. Several players are asked to play in roles that differ significantly from those they occupy at club level, yet they continue to perform because the team's ideas and intentions are so clear.
Switzerland are excellent at accessing central spaces, although they understandably lack the individual quality in the final third to consistently turn those situations into goals. Even after losing their biggest attacking threat, Manzambi, to injury, they remained highly competitive despite missing the quality he provides.
Another major strength of this team is the depth Yakin has built. He has rotated extensively throughout the tournament, making numerous changes to the starting XI, yet the collective level has remained remarkably consistent. Regardless of who plays, everyone contributes and the team continues to perform at a high level.
Their rest defence is also great. They understand which matches allow them to commit more players forward, creating greater fluidity and mobility, and which require a more conservative approach to protect against transitions.
An exceptionally well-coached and well-organized team.
They have done an incredible job and, unlike some other teams that reached the quarter-finals while offering less, Switzerland have fully deserved their place at this stage of the World Cup.
L’équipe de Suisse doit surtout se féliciter d’avoir fait veiller un pays entier au milieu de la nuit.
C’est l’accomplissement ultime de cette génération géniale, qui aura décomplexé notre rapport à l’ambition dans le foot.
C’est ce qu’il faut retenir, plutôt que tomber dans les conspirations.
This Germany Curacao game shows why the expanded World Cup is so embarrassing. Can you imagine a serious team losing 7-1 to Germany before all these new teams were let in?
In the latest edition of random Swiss football incidents: a fire broke out during yesterday's third-tier match between FC Paradiso and FC Bavois.
Paradiso's captain & VP Ezequiel Schelotto, capped by Italy at Wembley in 2012, intervened to put the fire out.
📹 @Blick_Sport
Je réponds je réponds pas je réponds je réponds pas j’hésite …
Je sens bien que ça vous ferait marrer mais je dois d’abord extraire la balle perdue et je déciderai ensuite 😂