Safely through to the last 16, second placed behind hosts Germany, undefeated so far. Switzerland have done the first job expected of them, in navigating their way through to the knockout phase, and now it’s a case of whether they merely achieve the status quo or can put together another significant run.
The Swiss have long been last-16-capable, but perhaps lacked the attacking edge, the clinical scorer, to go regularly to the quarter-finals at major tournaments or even beyond. This time it looks like it might be different.
They did, in fairness, reach the quarters in 2020 – the first time they had gone so far at a tournament since the World Cup in 1954. Not exactly a great track record, then. With an underperforming Italy attack next up to navigate, there’s real optimism the Swiss could reach that stage again, at the very least.
While they haven’t necessarily found a single individual who can guide them past the elite teams, they have found something arguably even better: a collective, an overall attack, a system which allows multiple players to thrive, to create, to be a threat on goal. Spearheading it all is Dan Ndoye, a breakout star of Euro 2024 who has had a brilliant campaign for club and country, starring with Bologna and now Switzerland’s big difference-maker at the European Championship.
He only has the one goal so far, to be clear. But this Swiss team isn’t about the stellar single, it’s about the strength of the collective. Between he, Ruben Vargas, the fit-again Breel Embolo and the gang, there’s a clear and cohesive strategy about how to move the ball through the thirds, how to get players running off each other and rotating positions centrally, and how to create chances.
Switzerland rank tenth in the tournament for total xG so far. Their 16.7% shot conversion rate is better than the likes of Spain or Germany, and while touches in the box don’t always relate to significant chances coming along, they are top ten there too – as well as for shots on target and sixth for corners. In other words, in attacking terms they are straddling right across the border between one of the best, and just outside that group.
To ensure they fall the right side of the dividing line, it’ll be down to performance on the day – and that’s where Ndoye comes in.
His xG of 1.3 so far is the best in the team, but he’s also created a couple of chances and his constant running in the channels is what sets up the possibility of that revolving Swiss attack: he pulls wide, Vargas surges into the middle, Granit Xhaka steps into more advanced areas and the wing-backs can look to create overloads.
Add in his pace as an outlet and the fact he’s happy to run with the ball – 2.3 dribbles per 90 so far puts him in the second tier of players at the Euros after the usual leading relentless dribble monsters like Jérémy Doku and Nico Williams – and he’s a magnificent integration into the team by head coach Murat Yakin.
But now comes a direct rival for Ndoye who will test him, and not one he has encountered this year in matches…but instead, who he has probably gone up against almost every day in training – Italy and Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.
Ndoye habitually pulls into the right channel, or has done so far when leading the line, which means if an Italian back three is on show again, that’s Calafiori’s channel. If it’s a back four, Calafiori has been left of centre and will be charged with stopping his club-mate’s runs through the centre.
Calafiori is a defender with pace and power, so can match Ndoye there, and his technical ability is super impressive, too. This will be a massive test of both quality and composure for the Swiss attacker: can he get the better of someone who knows him well? Does he have the patience and the guile?
Switzerland will need him to.
They’ve looked better than the Azzurri during the group stage, but that is both subjective and largely irrelevant – on the day we already know Italy can raise their game several levels, even if so far that has mostly been when falling behind. A second quarter-final appearance in three summers beckons for Switzerland, but they’ll need another gritty and organised display at times, full of self-belief for the rest of it. And in Ndoye, they at last have an attacking match-winner in their ranks – whether that’s by him scoring himself or enabling someone else to.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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