Switzerland are the international team Scotland aspire to be. A nation whose reliability at major tournaments is almost as consistent as the precision of their timekeeping.
Before Euro 2024, a misapprehension took root amongst the Tartan Army. Germany would win Group A easily, leaving Scotland to fight for second and third place with a rejuvenated Hungary. The second game against Switzerland would be a repeat of the Scots’ win at Euro ‘96.
When the Swiss swept Hungary aside in their opening fixture, that began to look like a dangerous miscalculation. Given Scotland’s display against Germany, it was an act of gross delusion.
The golden generation are a little older these days. Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri, Ricardo Rodriguez and keeper Yann Sommer announced their arrival by winning the Under-17 World Cup in 2009. Two years later, they were runners-up in the European Under-21 championships.
Now in their 30s, the quartet form the spine of a team who have made a habit of punching above their weight. A nation of just 8.7million people, the Swiss have qualified for the last 16 of the last five major tournaments. Scotland would flog Edinburgh Castle for a record like that.
They knocked France out of the last Euros and lost their quarter-final to Spain on penalties.
Duah (above centre) celebrates scoring opening goal for Swiss against Hungary
Steve Clarke would love his team to be as consistent as their Swiss rivals
Xhaka (above right) is the talisman for Switzerland and a top performer in midfield
The World Cup in Qatar brought anguish of a different kind when Cristiano Ronaldo’s exclusion from the Portugal starting XI allowed Goncalo Ramos to come in and smash a hat-trick in a harrowing 6-1 defeat in the last 16. At least the Swiss were there.
By leading Scotland to back-to-back Euros, Steve Clarke has credit in the bank. That drains fast if Switzerland win their opening two games in Germany.
The consequences of another defeat on Wednesday night would be far reaching. A point, allied to a thumping German win over a demoralised Hungary, would preserve hopes of securing a last-16 place as one of the best-third place finishers.
Yet those who underplayed Switzerland’s streetwise qualities at this level were forced to reassess after an impressive first-half performance against Marco Rossi’s Magyars. The Swiss have lost just two of their last 14 group games at major tournaments, winning seven and drawing five. They have only lost one of their last eight Euro group-stage games.
They’re not just a nation Scotland want to beat. They’re the nation Scotland wants to *be*
Midfielder Xhaka remains the polished gem in Murat Yakin’s team. At the age of 31, he has just completed an unbeaten season with Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Voted player of the match against Hungary by UEFA’s technical observer panel, which consisted of managers of the ilk of Fabio Capello, Ioan Lupescu, David Moyes, Rafa Benitez and Croatian Aljosa Asanovic, they described the former Arsenal man’s display as ‘a complete midfield performance – excellent in possession both in the build-up and in telling passes. Great work ethic and leadership, and a great organiser’.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill was UEFA’s technical observer of Scotland’s humbling 5-1 thrashing to Germany. His thoughts on the performance of Callum McGregor, Scott McTominay, John McGinn and Ryan Christie have yet to be made public. They’re unlikely to be flattering.
The Scots train ahead of their mountainous task against Switzerland in Cologne
Granit Xhaka takes a lead role in training as the Swiss prepare for second group game
Striker Duah fires home the first goal that put Swiss in control against Hungary
When Northern Ireland played the Germans, O’Neill noted the tendency of Toni Kroos to drop into the left-back area in order to confuse his marker and find space to dictate the play.
Steve Clarke and his players never got to grips with that in the Allianz Arena and, if Xhaka is given the run of the Cologne Stadium pitch on Wednesday night, hopes of reaching the knockout stages for the first time ever will wither and die.
The first English-born goalscorer of Euro 2024 was not Jude Bellingham. Born in London to Ghanaian parents, Switzerland’s Kwadwo Duah has spent most of his career in obscurity. That changed when he scored against Hungary with his second-ever shot for his country in his second appearance, his first at the Euros.
Boss Yakin compares football to tactical chess and, by pitching Ludogorets striker Duah in ahead of Shaqiri, the laconic Swiss coach pulled a masterstroke. Breel Embolo replaced Ruben Vargas and scored at his third straight tournament. Wherever you look, Switzerland have goals in the team.
Clarke and skipper Robertson have a chat at Scotland’s training base
Defeat would be unthinkable for Clarke’s team against Switzerland in Cologne
It’s not just a competent Swiss team Scotland have to overcome. The weight of history is also against them.
The national team have won just six of their 32 matches at major tournaments, a win rate of 18.75 per cent. Among European nations with more than 25 matches at this level, only Bulgaria have a worse win-rate ratio.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann felt Clarke’s men were ‘afraid’ when they faced his team last Friday and, while some suspect Scotland are a nation scarred by the psychological traumas of the past, the more likely explanation is a serious dearth of good players. The absence of a first-team pathway for players aged between 17 and 21 is killing the supply of gifted footballers.
Defeat on Wednesday would be the fourth time the Scots have lost the opening two matches of a major tournament after the 1954 World Cup, Mexico 86 and the 1992 Euros.
A repeat of Italia 90 would be welcome. After a humiliating opening-day defeat to Costa Rica, Andy Roxburgh’s team came out all guns blazing in Genoa and beat Sweden 2-1. A rousing win over the Swiss at Euro 96 was too little, too late, but set the template for what needs to happen in Cologne.
The worry is that these players don’t have it in them. After a rousing qualifying campaign, they’ve won just one game in their last 10. Momentum drained, they’re haemorrhaging goals at an alarming rate. Against Germany, they looked a shadow of the team who outplayed Spain. All of that has to change tonight to keep the last-16 dream alive.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk