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Report nowGranit Xhaka is the first Swiss player since Kubilay Türkyilmaz 28 years ago to be nominated for the Ballon d'Or. What does his predecessor say? And which Swiss players have already achieved this feat?
Champion and cup winner with Leverkusen, only one defeat in 50 appearances with the club and advancing to the quarter-finals of the European Championship with the Swiss national team - Granit Xhaka has had an impressive season. His strong performances are now being rewarded.
The national team captain has made it onto the list of 30 candidates for the coveted Ballon d'Or. A feat that no Swiss player has achieved since Kubilay Türkyilmaz in 1996. "We can be proud that a Swiss player has once again been nominated. Granit Xhaka absolutely deserves it," Kubi told blue Sport. In 1996, when 50 players were nominated for the coveted golden ball, the 57-year-old ended up in 19th place with 5 points.
In the years before Türkyilmaz, Switzerland had a top 30 candidate four times in a row. In 1994, the then Kaiserslautern player Ciriaco Sforza made it to 21st place, before that Stéphane Chapuisat even managed a hat-trick: in 1993 and 1992, the then BVB goal scorer was voted 9th, in 1991 he made it to 13th place.
Heinz Hermann was also once among the nominees. In 1987, the former Xamax player received two votes and was ranked 21st, ending a 22-year drought: Former Nati coach Köbi Kuhn secured 25th place in 1965.
Four years before Kuhn, Switzerland was even represented twice. Norbert Eschmann, then a player at Stade Français, finished 28th, while Charles Antenen came 35th thanks to strong performances at La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Granit Xhaka is therefore the eighth Swiss to make it into the circle of nominees. The question remains whether he can outdo his predecessors in this year's vote on October 28 in Paris and become the best-placed Swiss?
With his outstanding performances in the past season, Xhaka at least has a very good case. The 31-year-old may also be helped by the fact that neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi are among the candidates for the first time since 2003.
Türkyilmaz is even convinced that the national team captain will make it into the top 5. For Kubi, only the Real trio of Dani Carvajal, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham are ahead of the Swiss national team captain.
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