For the Nati, the football year begins with test matches against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg. Winger Dan Ndoye says in an interview with blue Sport: "We have to get ready for the World Cup qualifiers, so these are crucial games for us."
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- The Swiss national team starts its football year with test matches against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg.
- Dan Ndoye has been named in the national team. The Bologna striker tells blue Sport in an interview: "It was a childhood dream to play for the national team. The fact that it worked out was because I always believed in it."
- The World Cup qualifiers with tricky opponents begin for the national team in the fall. Ndoye says: "To qualify for the World Cup, you have to get big opponents out of the way."
The Swiss national team has its first match in 2025. After a training camp in Faro, Portugal, the Nati will face Northern Ireland in Belfast on Friday and Murat Yakin's team will host Luxembourg in St. Gallen on Tuesday. "We need these test matches to get us ready for September, so they are important dates with landmark games for us," explained winger Dan Ndoye. The two games could be used to try out a few things in order to be ready for the World Cup qualifiers in the fall.
In the big interview with blue Sport (the full interview in French is attached below the article), Ndoye also talks about what the national team means to him: "It was a childhood dream to play for the national team. The reason it worked out was because I always believed in it. I've done that since I was four years old."
Ndoye explains that talent only accounts for around ten percent of a player because there are so many other factors: "When it comes to asserting yourself against the best in the region or even the country, those who want it more come out on top. It was the same for me - I wanted it badly." That's why he also tells the youngsters to believe in their dream and work hard to achieve it.
The national team opponents
The World Cup qualifiers begin for the national team in the fall. Tricky opponents await with Sweden, Kosovo and Slovenia: "To qualify for the World Cup, you have to get big chunks out of the way," explains Ndoye when asked about the opponents.
It is important to stay true to yourself. Ndoye also looks back to last summer with the successful European Championship: "If we reach the level of the European Championship and use the qualities of the team, we will certainly manage it."
Ndoye explains that the national team has to be good, especially in the important games. He believes the team can achieve this with the right mentality: "We will enjoy it under pressure and give our best as always."
Ndoye also has a message for the national team fans: "I hope that the fans will support us as well as they did at the Euros. With them behind us, we can achieve great things and then get on the plane together in 2026."
The whole interview with Ndoye in French:
A familiar fixture for the Swiss national team: Switzerland will face Northern Ireland for the eighth time this Friday.
Image: KEYSTONE
On October 9, 2021, Steven Zuber scored the 1:0 for Switzerland in the 2022 World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland at the Stade de Genève. His goal left Jordan Thompson and the Northern Irish behind. The Swiss dominated their home game in the World Cup qualifiers and secured the three points with a commanding performance.
Image: KEYSTONE
On September 8, 2021, Northern Ireland and Switzerland met in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers at Windsor Park, Belfast. Daniel Ballard fought an intense duel with Steven Zuber. A hard-fought away match ends goalless as the Swiss offense fails to break down the defensively strong Northern Irish team.
Image: KEYSTONE
In the 2018 World Cup play-off second leg between Switzerland and Northern Ireland at St. Jakob-Park, Basel, on November 12, 2017, Jamie Ward fought a tough duel with Ricardo Rodriguez. Switzerland defended the first leg result and secured their World Cup ticket with a focused defensive performance.
Image: KEYSTONE
Jamie Ward and Xherdan Shaqiri battled for the ball in the first leg of the 2018 World Cup play-off between Northern Ireland and Switzerland at Windsor Park, Belfast, on November 9, 2017. A controversial penalty from Ricardo Rodriguez gives Switzerland a narrow but valuable away win in the play-off first leg.
Image: KEYSTONE
On August 18, 2004, in a friendly match against Northern Ireland at the Hardturm in Zurich, Johann Vogel went down after a foul. The Swiss captain was writhing in pain and had to be substituted shortly afterwards. An uneventful friendly match with no other major highlights ended goalless.
Image: KEYSTONE
A familiar fixture for the Swiss national team: Switzerland will face Northern Ireland for the eighth time this Friday.
Image: KEYSTONE
On October 9, 2021, Steven Zuber scored the 1:0 for Switzerland in the 2022 World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland at the Stade de Genève. His goal left Jordan Thompson and the Northern Irish behind. The Swiss dominated their home game in the World Cup qualifiers and secured the three points with a commanding performance.
Image: KEYSTONE
On September 8, 2021, Northern Ireland and Switzerland met in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers at Windsor Park, Belfast. Daniel Ballard fought an intense duel with Steven Zuber. A hard-fought away match ends goalless as the Swiss offense fails to break down the defensively strong Northern Irish team.
Image: KEYSTONE
In the 2018 World Cup play-off second leg between Switzerland and Northern Ireland at St. Jakob-Park, Basel, on November 12, 2017, Jamie Ward fought a tough duel with Ricardo Rodriguez. Switzerland defended the first leg result and secured their World Cup ticket with a focused defensive performance.
Image: KEYSTONE
Jamie Ward and Xherdan Shaqiri battled for the ball in the first leg of the 2018 World Cup play-off between Northern Ireland and Switzerland at Windsor Park, Belfast, on November 9, 2017. A controversial penalty from Ricardo Rodriguez gives Switzerland a narrow but valuable away win in the play-off first leg.
Image: KEYSTONE
On August 18, 2004, in a friendly match against Northern Ireland at the Hardturm in Zurich, Johann Vogel went down after a foul. The Swiss captain was writhing in pain and had to be substituted shortly afterwards. An uneventful friendly match with no other major highlights ended goalless.
Image: KEYSTONE
