Press conference on the plane: Coach Murat Yakin explains the purpose of the national team's trip to the USA.
Image: Keystone
The captain and pioneer is back after a break: Granit Xhaka.
Image: Keystone
Manuel Akanji, the defensive leader, is also back.
Image: Keystone
A sticking point for the coach: Murat Yakin has not yet found the right place for Monaco captain Denis Zakaria.
Image: Keystone
After a strong season with Brugge, Ardon Jashari deserves a place in the starting eleven.
Image: Keystone
An option for the left flank: Miro Muheim, who won promotion to the Bundesliga with HSV.
Image: Keystone
Press conference on the plane: Coach Murat Yakin explains the purpose of the national team's trip to the USA.
Image: Keystone
The captain and pioneer is back after a break: Granit Xhaka.
Image: Keystone
Manuel Akanji, the defensive leader, is also back.
Image: Keystone
A sticking point for the coach: Murat Yakin has not yet found the right place for Monaco captain Denis Zakaria.
Image: Keystone
After a strong season with Brugge, Ardon Jashari deserves a place in the starting eleven.
Image: Keystone
An option for the left flank: Miro Muheim, who won promotion to the Bundesliga with HSV.
Image: Keystone
The national team arrives in the USA on Monday, where they will play two preparation matches. The trip should give them the opportunity to make adjustments before the start of World Cup qualifying.
03.06.2025, 11:56
03.06.2025, 12:07
SDA
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- The Swiss national team arrived in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night. There they will test against Mexico on Saturday.
- Murat Yakin spoke to journalists on the flight about his oversupply in midfield, among other things: "It's my job to create a system that allows me to field the best players."
- Tests will also be carried out against the USA. The trip should give the national team a taste of what is to come so that they are highly motivated for the World Cup qualifiers.
One year before the World Cup in North America, the national team is on a scouting tour. There are no World Cup matches in Salt Lake City, where Switzerland will play Mexico on Saturday (10.00 pm), nor in Nashville, where they will play the USA three days later (Wednesday, 2.07 am). But Murat Yakin wanted to get his players in the mood for "American time" to give them a foretaste and motivate them to travel there again in June 2026.
Foretaste and motivation for the World Cup
"That's the reason we decided to organize this trip, to say, 'Ok guys, we want to be back here in a year'. That's the message we want to get across," emphasized the Basel-based coach when announcing his squad on 22 May.
With the Women's European Championship taking place in Switzerland in July, it was difficult for the association to organize home games for the men's national team. For this reason, every effort was made to make this USA tour possible.
"All the players are here and highly motivated. The atmosphere is very good. We didn't have to convince anyone to take part in this tour," said Yakin at a press conference during the flight from Zurich to Salt Lake City. "These two test matches are very motivating. It's also an opportunity for the players to get a feel for the atmosphere and the stadiums and to awaken in them the desire to be back next year for the World Cup."
The return of the managers
In March, Murat Yakin had to make do without several regulars - above all Granit Xhaka and Manuel Akanji - and brought three newcomers into the team in Stefan Gartenmann, Lucas Blondel and Isaac Schmidt. Now 19-year-old Geneva native Johan Manzambi has been rewarded for his strong final season with SC Freiburg, with whom he finished 5th in the Bundesliga.
With the exception of Ruben Vargas, who is still recovering from a thigh injury he suffered at the beginning of April, all the key players traveled to America. While the last international break gave Yakin the opportunity to test and broaden the squad, he must now find the right formula in the land of Uncle Sam before the first World Cup qualifier against Kosovo in Basel on September 5.
The return of Xhaka and Akanji to the starting eleven is out of the question. In attack, Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye seem untouchable, as does Gregor Kobel in goal. But Yakin is probably faced with a tricky task when it comes to the midfield.
Oversupply in midfield
Ardon Jashari is the best player in the Belgian league and would deserve to be in the starting line-up - like Denis Zakaria, the AS Monaco captain who will also be playing in the Champions League next season. In Remo Freuler and Vincent Sierro, Yakin has two other midfielders with the potential to become regulars in the line-up.
"Our best players play in midfield," said Yakin on the flight to Salt Lake City. "It's my job to create a system that allows us to field the best players. But I don't want to limit myself to a single scheme that I try to impose at all costs."
To solve this conundrum, Yakin could deploy Zakaria in a back three alongside Akanji and a third man, who could be Ricardo Rodriguez, at least against Mexico. This would offer the left flank to Miro Muheim of Bundesliga promotion contenders Hamburger SV, who showed how valuable he can be in that role against Luxembourg (3-1) in March.
