Granit Xhaka will be looking to equal a European Championship record set by Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo when Switzerland face Italy in the last 16 of Euro 2024.
Granit Xhaka will be looking to equal a European Championship record set by Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo when Switzerland face Italy in the last 16 of Euro 2024.
The 31-year-old is Switzerland’s most-capped player in history (127) and has been regarded as a key player under head coach Murat Yakin for several years.
Xhaka played an important role in helping the Swiss finish second in Group A and advance to the last 16 of Euro 2024, reaching the knockout rounds in a third successive tournament.
The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder was named Man of the Match in Switzerland’s 1-1 draw with Germany in which Niclas Fullkrug scored a 92nd-minute equaliser to cancel out Dan Ndoye‘s first-half opener.
It takes some doing to stand out in a midfield tussle with Germany duo Ilkay Gundogan and Toni Kroos, but Xhaka dictated play all evening and played his part at both end of the pitch during an impressive display in Frankfurt.
Xhaka, who played every minute of Switzerland’s group-stage campaign, was also named Man of the Match in a 3-1 win over Hungary on matchday one.
© Reuters
Swiss star Xhaka out to make history
Switzerland’s captain will equal Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most Man of the Match awards received in a single tournament (three) if he were to claim the individual accolade once again in Saturday’s last-16 clash with Italy.
Xhaka has been a standout performer for the Swiss at Euro 2024 thus far, boasting an 87.5% passing accuracy, 16 passes into the final third and eight ball recoveries, as well as covering over 35km across his three group-stage outings.
Although Xhaka was disappointed to drop two points late on against Germany, the midfielder was impressed with Switzerland’s overall performance on Sunday and is now “hungry” to succeed in the last 16.
“It’s always disappointing when you concede late in the game,” Xhaka told reporters. “In general, I think we showed great character, we held the ball, we played very well and, in the end, we can be happy with the point. We knew the quality the Germans have.
“It wasn’t always easy to play with the ball how we normally want, but I think we were very aggressive without the ball, we pressed them high and, most of the time, it was a good job from us.”
“This team is hungry, this team has a completely new mentality, will, passion, and we want to show that again in the round of 16. We are on a very good path. The first step has been taken. We have survived the group stage and now we want more.”
Victory for Switzerland over European Championship holders Italy in the last 16 would see them progress to a second consecutive quarter-final on the continental stage and potentially set up a showdown with England.
No Data Analysis info