Murat Yakin is looking forward to his second World Cup as national team coach. In an interview with Keystone-SDA, the 51-year-old talks about the group opponents, his key players and high ticket prices.
28.05.2026, 05:01
28.05.2026, 07:29
SDA
Murat Yakin, the official objective is to show "the best World Cup of a Swiss national team". What exactly does "the best World Cup" mean to you?
"The confident qualification and the strong European Championship two years ago have raised expectations. We've learned the lessons from the last World Cup and know what we did wrong. That's why we want to show the best World Cup. I don't think we need a specific knockout round target, but one thing is clear: just getting through the group stage wouldn't be enough for us."
They start on June 13 against their nominally weakest opponents, Qatar.
"We definitely want to win the first game. But Qatar is the big unknown in the group. The team didn't have any test matches in the spring, we weren't able to watch them. Qatar is a very serious opponent. We can't let what Argentina experienced against Saudi Arabia four years ago happen to us. Because in the end, tournaments like this also thrive on their surprises."
Who is the tougher opponent in the battle to win the group: Bosnia or co-hosts Canada?
"Bosnia showed what they can do in the qualifiers against Austria and in the play-off against Italy. Nevertheless, I think the last group game against Canada will be about winning the group."
Because of the Canadians' home advantage?
"Not only that. Canada already played high-intensity football at the last World Cup. The players are eager to run and rebellious. Under coach Jesse Marsch, who went through the Red Bull school, this style of play comes into its own even better."
Against Bosnia, it could be a duel with Haris Tabakovic, who is hoping for a World Cup appearance despite injury. He played for the Swiss U21s but was never called up for the senior national team and now plays for Bosnia. Do you regret not calling him up?
"Regret is too strong a word. It's a shame for any good player to decide to play for another nation. Haris is one of those players who made another giant leap late in his career. It is what it is and I'm very happy with my squad."
In March, you played with both a back four and a back three. What will your World Cup system be?
"I wanted to play in both formations in March to consolidate them further. Which system we ultimately use depends on the availability of the players and the opponent. Sometimes you have to make changes during a game. Flexibility is the key to success."
You hardly rotated players during qualifying. Does the Swiss squad lack the breadth for a long tournament?
"Of course we don't have the breadth of France, England or Spain, who could easily field four World Cup teams each. But I'm still very happy with our width. We started to bring in new players in the Nations League. I now have several strong options in practically every position. In the end, at a tournament like this, the decisive factor is how the players work as a team."
Your players, especially the top performers, form a comparatively old team. Does that worry you?
"I immediately think of Croatia, who have always been one of the oldest teams at recent tournaments and have enjoyed great success. I'm not talking about age, but about experience. And that brings you a lot at a tournament like this. I think we have the right mix and distribution of roles."
Granit Xhaka will turn 34 in September and will probably break the 150 caps mark at this World Cup. Does the captain never get tired?
"When you talk about Granit, there can only be superlatives. The fact that he was able to continue his development at Sunderland after his time in Leverkusen says everything about his character and his will. His incredible ambition is transferred to everyone and makes every team better."
You two often put your heads together intensively in training. What do you discuss there?
"Granit is my first point of reference and my extended arm on the pitch. My preparation is often very technical and theoretical. The leading players then see directly on the pitch what works and what doesn't. Granit is particularly interested in studying the opponent and gives input on how to break them down. You can already see the future coach in him."
Ricardo Rodriguez, who is currently number two on the list of record players with 136 caps, is a completely different story. He is talked about much less.
"I often hear that I'm chilled. Anyone who thinks that should talk to Ricci. But seriously: Ricci is a safe bank. He's a super-intelligent footballer, is always right defensively, hardly ever loses a ball and always has an idea. His ease and calmness are hugely beneficial to our game."
Noah Okafor was considered a problem player after his public criticism of his role. Now he has shone in the Premier League and is back. How did the approach go?
"There was never any doubt about his footballing ability. But we made it clear to him that it's not just about performance on the pitch, but also about exemplifying shared values as a team. He has gone through a maturing process. In the very first week of training in spring, he stood up in front of the team and apologized."
In which position does he bring the most to the national team?
"He's originally a winger, and that's where I see him. He can use his pace there and look for the direct duel. He can also shield the ball in the center, but his strengths come into their own better on the flanks."
Only two players from the Super League have made it into the World Cup squad, one of them as the third goalkeeper. Is the Swiss league not competitive?
"It wouldn't be right to talk our league down. But the intensity abroad is certainly higher, and we notice that in our training sessions. You can also see in the international competitions that the Swiss clubs struggle to keep up. But I'm glad that many Swiss players manage to establish themselves at a high level abroad time and time again - often at a young age."
The increase to 48 teams means there is one more knockout round at this World Cup. Have you already calculated the different paths?
"We have several people analyzing these scenarios in detail. The analysis of the group opponents is done. For everything that comes after that, we also involve our U coaches. They will closely monitor the potential opponents in the knockout phase. We have a big goal and are well prepared."
One scenario stands out: if Switzerland win the group, Portugal will once again threaten them in the round of 16. Is the shock of the 1:6 at the World Cup in Qatar still deep-rooted?
"No, we've already beaten Portugal in the Nations League before that. But yes, we definitely still have something to make up for. We now know exactly why we weren't able to play at our best in Qatar."
What was the reason?
"We underestimated the temperatures and the extremely cold indoor facilities. When the first player fell ill, we could really see the flu spreading. We started the game completely weakened. This time we are better prepared, something like that mustn't happen to us again."
There is a new rule at this World Cup: speaking behind closed doors, the hand-to-mouth rule, will be sanctioned to prevent covert racist or offensive statements. What do you think?
"I haven't looked into it in detail yet. But it's important to do everything possible to combat racism in football too."
Have you experienced racism on the pitch yourself as a player or coach?
"I certainly experienced it a few times as a player, but I haven't been affected as a coach for a very long time now. Of course there are anonymous comments on the net from time to time, that will probably always be part of our job. If someone has to express themselves like that, it doesn't affect me anymore."
How did you deal with it back then as a player?
"It used to be normal, we grew up with it. That's why I stopped letting it get to me at some point. Later on, I even took it as a compliment: If someone had to provoke me in this way, they obviously had no other arguments left to throw me off my game."
Today, players defend themselves more actively. How do you sensitize your team?
"Such incidents usually happen in a hectic and emotional atmosphere, which is difficult to train. We try to sensitize the players so that they don't allow themselves to be provoked during a match. Dealing with it afterwards is another matter."
Shouldn't such incidents be denounced much more loudly instead of being passed over in silence?
"A player has to decide that for himself in each individual case. And of course we support him in this. The official protocol for such cases is clear: the referee can stop the game and send the teams to the dressing room."
Finally, to the fans: many complain about the high ticket prices for this World Cup.
"Our association was able to organize 500 discounted tickets for the most loyal fans. From what I've heard, sporting events in the USA are generally much more expensive than we're used to in Europe. Even in American football or basketball. Demand is obviously very high. Of course, it would be desirable for World Cup games to remain accessible to everyone."
The World Cup opener against Qatar will be your 60th game as Swiss national team coach. Does this number make you proud?
"It's nice to reach a mark like that, but nothing more. As a coach, I know exactly how fast-moving the business is. That's why I enjoy every single game all the more. I simply enjoy my work as a national team coach enormously."
