After the European Championships is before the World Cup. In "Heimspiel bei der Nati", the question arises as to what the Swiss national team could look like in 2026 - and which key players may no longer be involved.
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- Several players in the national team squad are over 30 years old. What will Switzerland look like at the 2026 World Cup? That will be the topic in the "Heimspiel bei der Nati" with guest Jonas Omlin.
- Was it the last big tournament for Yann Sommer, Xherdan Shaqiri and Fabian Schär? "It depends in which leagues the players will be playing in two years' time," says blue Sport editor-in-chief Andreas Böni.
- Shaqiri could remain an issue for the national team if he returns to Switzerland, Böni believes. Omlin says: "Anything is possible with Shaqiri. On and off the pitch."
With outstanding performances, the national team made the whole of Switzerland dream of a major coup. Although they lost the quarter-final, the tournament gives hope for further exploits in the future. Captain Granit Xhaka also made people sit up and take notice after losing the penalty shoot-out against England: "I can guarantee that we will definitely be back in two years' time and write our own history there."
In two years' time, the 2026 World Cup will be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico. What the national team will look like then is of course still up in the air. However, none of the current national team players have announced their retirement, at least not yet. "At the moment, all the players from the European Championship squad are still available to us," said national team boss Pierluigi Tami at the media conference on Sunday.
Super League and Nati or Saudi Arabia and money?
There are still a few question marks. Yann Sommer will be 37 years old at the 2026 World Cup - his designated successor Gregor Kobel is waiting in the wings. Fabian Schär is 34, Remo Freuler 34, Xherdan Shaqiri 34 and Ricardo Rodriguez also almost 34. Can they still be important team pillars at this age? "It depends on which leagues the players play in," says blue Sport editor-in-chief Andreas Böni.
"If a player moves to Saudi Arabia, I don't think he's an option for the national team anymore," Böni continues. "That's why I also hope that a Shaqiri would move to Basel instead of Saudi Arabia. He could push the whole league there, would have a sporting challenge and would remain in Murat Yakin's shop window."
For Gladbach goalie Jonas Omlin, who didn't make the European Championship squad due to injury, Shaqiri's situation is difficult to assess: "He once announced that he wants to return (to Switzerland) one day. I don't know if now is the time. Anything is possible with Shaqiri. On and off the pitch."
Omlin looks to the future with hope
The coaching issue has not yet been resolved either. For Omlin, however, it seems clear that Switzerland will continue to have a strong team in the coming years. "The national team hasn't changed much in recent years, the core has been together for years now. The team gets a little better at every European Championship and World Cup. I have the feeling that the team is growing together more and more," says the goalkeeper.
That also gives him hope for the future. Omlin: "I have the feeling that we will also deliver a good performance at the next tournament." The national team has also become a real unit: "You could see on the pitch that there was a good bond between the players. Even though we've now been eliminated, this team is so solid and so positive. I don't think this defeat will shake the team up too much."
