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• National team captain Granit Xhaka puts in a strong performance in the 4-1 win over Bosnia and has words of praise for his teammates.
• After the 1-1 draw against Qatar, the captain was still frustrated because, in his opinion, many things didn’t go as they should have. As a result, he himself became the target of criticism.
• The record-holding national team player admits that not everything always bounces off him easily. However, he always focused on delivering his best performance on the field. He can’t control anything else.

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Granit Xhaka rubs people the wrong way from time to time. He leads by example and never shies away from speaking his mind. But that doesn’t always go over well everywhere. Because sometimes the truth hurts. In the days following the match against Qatar (1–1), Xhaka has been portrayed in a negative light. Instead of cementing his legacy, the national team captain is sparking controversy. According tothe *Blick*, for example, those close to the team are concerned and are even saying that things are heading in a toxic direction. The record-holding national team player admits that such reports don’t just bounce off him. But let’s start from the beginning.

Xhaka sounded the alarm even before the World Cup

Before the World Cup, the Swiss national team played to a 1-1 draw against Australia. It was a seemingly inconsequential friendly in which Murat Yakin made ten substitutions. But one player was really upset after the match. Granit Xhaka spoke up and said, “That was definitely a big wake-up call for all of us. We need to tighten the reins; otherwise, we could be heading home after three games. You can’t play like that—with all due respect.”

Straight talk after World Cup dress rehearsal

Xhaka is annoyed: "That's how you go home after three games"

A week later, Switzerland drew 1–1 with Qatar at the World Cup. Naturally, the national team captain’s mood wasn’t any better than it had been after the friendly. He was particularly hard on the substitutes, saying: “First of all, we need to get our feet back on the ground. We need to realize that we might not be as far along as we thought we were before the tournament. I think the result is good for us as a team—it helps us see where we stand. And it shows us that we have to do more than we think.”

Xhaka Hopes for a Wake-Up Call

“Maybe we’re not as far along as we thought”

These are strong words. blue Sport picks up on the topic in its “Home Game with the National Team” segment and asks SRF expert Beni Huggel what he thinks of the national team captain’s criticism. Is he allowed to speak out like this, or is he poisoning the atmosphere? “I think it’s good that he says that. If he doesn’t address it, he’s lying to himself,” says former national team player Huggel. He adds that it’s important to have players like Xhaka who always want to get the most out of themselves and their teammates. “I wish there were a few more players with that mindset.”

Xhaka’s Praise After the Bosnia Match

After the 4-1 victory over Bosnia, Xhaka is satisfied with the team’s performance and also heaps praise on the substitutes. They made the difference, and that’s exactly how it should be. At a World Cup, every player is needed, and it’s clear that they’ll only succeed if they play as a unit. And that’s exactly how they played.

Reactions to the 4-1 victory

“It’s like a dream—I definitely won’t be able to sleep tonight” ++ “It’s absolutely crucial that we’re mentally prepared”

In a post-match interview with SRF, he was asked about his “blah-blah-blah” gesture, which was directed at his critics. “Yes, I think people know who I am. There are certain people who can’t handle criticism. And I’m someone who criticizes myself before I criticize anyone else.”

Granit Xhaka converted the penalty kick to make the final score 4–1 and made a gesture that basically said: Say whatever you want…

Keystone

Switzerland should actually be proud to have a player with 148 international appearances in its ranks. “But in the end, what’s important to me is that the team has my back, that we play together as we did today. And I’ve never cared about anything else.”

“A lot has been written…”

But that’s not entirely true. When asked whether it bothers him a little that he’s always in the spotlight, or whether that’s simply the lot of the record-holding national team player and captain, Xhaka is clear: “Sure, it’s not always easy. I’d be lying if I said it just goes in one ear and out the other. Sure, it hurts, because every now and then there are things I just don’t understand. A lot has been written, and an article was published that doesn’t just pass you by.”

But for him, performance on the field is what matters, because that’s the only thing he can directly influence. “I don’t feel even one percent that anyone isn’t behind me or that I’m not behind someone. And as long as I’m here, I’ll strive for success, push for it, and criticize when I have to.” And after a game like the one against Bosnia, he’s also happy to hand out praise.

If there’s one thing Xhaka isn’t, it’s an actor. Although, these days, you can’t really be so sure about that anymore…

"I want to win the World Cup"

Granit Xhaka on his debut as an actor, Terence Hill and his dream with the Nati

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