Switzerland have always been an underrated football nation. However, they always produced many amazing football players.
This current Swiss national football team is filled with the youngsters who won 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria.
That set of players is considered one of Switzerland’s best golden generation of players, with the majority of them entering their 30s in 2022. A couple of them have matured into world-class players.
We look at the five best football players in Switzerland in 2022, as led by Arsenal midfielder
1. Granit Xhaka
Position: Midfielder
Age: 29
Arsenal’s midfielder, Granit Xhaka, is one of the most prominent players in the Swiss team and certainly one of the most experienced.
The midfielder can play as a defensive midfielder and fit in as a box-to-box midfielder. He has 104 appearances for the national team and has scored 12 goals.
His qualities involve aggressive tackling, can also find a defense-splitting pass when necessary. He’s going to be one of the leaders in the European team and a point to prove after injury limited his Appearances in the last World Cup.
2. Remo Freuler
Position: Midfielder
Age: 30
Remo Freuler plays for Italian club side Atlanta, whom he joined in 2016, and has managed over 200 matches in six years.
Four goals in 46 appearances for the Swiss national team should do it for Freuler, who hasn’t steadied since joining Nottingham Forest this season.
He played all of Switzerland’s games during the qualification series, and he’s most likely to do the same at the world cup, commanding the midfield alongside Xhaka.
Remo Freuler is definitely one of the best Swiss footballers right now.
3. Xherdan Shaqiri
Position: Attacking midfielder or winger
Age: 30
Xherdan Shaqiri left Liverpool for the MLS at the age of 30 years, but this doesn’t diminish the quality and experience he will bring to the side.
His 106 appearances are the fourth highest overall in Switzerland’s history behind Stephan Lichtsteiner (108 caps), Alain Geiger (112), and Heinz Hermann (118). The former Liverpool striker has 26 goals for the national team.
Xherdan Shaqiri is a combative, skillful, and hardworking attacking player. His accomplishments and club and international levels make him one of the best football players in Croatia.
The former Bayern Munich forward has three Bundesliga titles, one Premier League title, two UEFA Champions League triumphs, and two FIFA Club World Cup™.
Furthermore, Shaqiri is the team’s Vice-captain and can play as a winger or midfielder. During the qualifiers, Shaqiri provided five assists and scored a goal.
Interestingly, Xherdan Shaqiri is one of the shortest footballers in the world, nonetheless, he is still a potent attacking threat
4. Yann Sommer
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 33
World renown penalty-saving specialist Yann Sommer will come in handy (as always) for the Swiss, even if they seem to have a defense line they can trust with Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji ahead of him.
The 33-year-old was the first choice in Russia and was there through the team’s qualifiers.
On 27 August 2022, Sommer proved that he should be rated among the best goalkeepers in the world when he made 19 saves in a 1–1 away draw against Bayern Munich, which was a Bundesliga record for most saves ever made in one match.
His importance cannot be overstated, with Brazil and Serbia lurking, including Cameroon.
5. Manuel Akanji
Position: Centre-back
Age: 27
One of the most underrated centre-backs in the world is the former Borussia Dortmund player, Manuel Akanji.
Manuel Akanji is an intelligent, technically gifted, and ball-playing centre-back.
His performances earned him a move to Manchester City in 2022.
Since he made his debut for the Swiss national team, he has made 42 appearances.
He doesn’t lack experience, having played at the World Cup four years ago and featured heavily at Euro 2020.
Other honourable mentions who are deservedly among the best footballers in Switzerland include the likes of Fabian Schär, Kevin Mbabu, Denis Zakaria, Haris Seferovic, Breel Embolo, and Noah Okafor.
