Lucas Blondel about to make his first appearance Will this "Argentinian" solve the national team's problems at right back?
A new face is likely to line up in the national team kit for the March test matches against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg: Lucas Blondel (28) is about to make his first appearance. Who is this South American with a Swiss passport?
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- The Swiss national team will play tests against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg in March.
- The first match of the year could feature a player that hardly anyone in Switzerland knows: Lucas Blondel.
- The 28-year-old right-back plays in Argentina, where he was born and raised. However, Blondel also has a Swiss passport - and recently received a visit from national team coach Yakin.
Loyal readers of our mercenary check will be familiar with Lucas Blondel. Otherwise, the Boca Juniors right-back is completely unknown in this country. But this is likely to change soon. The 28-year-old will probably be called up for the national team for the first time in March. Murat Yakin flew to Buenos Aires at the end of January to visit Blondel(blue Sport reported).
Who is Blondel and how come he suddenly appeared on the Swiss national team coach's radar? He was born in Argentina and has only ever played in the country of the reigning world champions. But Blondel also has a Swiss passport. Lucas is the son of former Vaudois tennis player Jean-Yves Blondel and speaks French as well as Spanish.
On Yakin's radar for the second time
Blondel was already on the Swiss Football Association's radar for 2023. However, a serious knee injury prevented the combative full-back with an attacking streak from making his first appearance for the national team. He tore his cruciate ligament in April 2024. Now Blondel made his long-awaited comeback at the end of January. And is once again a topic of discussion for Yakin.
"We met and exchanged ideas. It was a very pleasant conversation, Lucas is very interested in the Swiss national team," Yakin told blue Sport. Blondel is hot-blooded on the pitch. "A typical Argentinian," says Yakin, "but off the pitch he is very calm and even-tempered."
Still completely unknown in Switzerland, Blondel is a star in Argentina as a player for Boca Juniors. But his girlfriend is even more famous than the footballer himself: ESPN expert and presenter Morena Beltran is a well-known face in South America. She is followed by 2.1 million people on Instagram.
Right side of defense as a problem area for the Nati
Back to the national team: Ricardo Rodriguez has been a safe bet on the left side of defense for years. The same was true of Stephan Lichtsteiner on the other flank for years. But since his retirement in 2020, there has been no one who has emerged as an undisputed regular right-back.
With Silvan Widmer, Michael Lang, Kevin Mbabu, Eray Cömert, Jordan Lotomba and most recently often Edimilson Fernandes, numerous players have been given their chance as national team right-backs. Widmer had the most appearances, but was also repeatedly dropped to the bench or, as recently, not called up at all.
The soon-to-be 32-year-old is going through a difficult phase at Mainz, is only a precious reserve and, with a view to the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, it is questionable whether Widmer will be the man for the right side of defense.
Will Yakin once again rely on Fernandes, who plays in central midfield at Stade Brest? Or will Lucas Blondel get his chance in the test matches against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg in March?
