Fabian Schär has announced his retirement from the Swiss national team. This clears the way for his long-time rival Nico Elvedi. Or will another central defender step up?
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Fabian Schär no longer plays for the Swiss national team.
- Following the departure of Yann Sommer, Murat Yakin has lost another important pillar in his defense. Who can now step up in central defense? Yakin has several options.
- Switzerland will start the Nations League in September, where they will face Spain, Serbia and Denmark.
After Xherdan Shaqiri and Yann Sommer, Fabian Schär also announces his retirement from the national team. The announcement on Monday made less of a splash than that of crowd favorites Shaqiri and Sommer, but is likely to be more significant in sporting terms.
Shaqiri was recently only a supplementary player in the national team, while Sommer has a top-level successor in Gregor Kobel. In Schär, the national team is losing a central defender who has been indispensable of late. The 32-year-old played a major part in Switzerland's strong European Championship campaign, not missing a single minute.
Now he has had enough of the national team. Schär wants to concentrate on his club Newcastle United. And shortly before the first Nati squad meeting after the European Championship, the question arises as to what Schär's retirement means for Murat Yakin's team.
Elvedi in pole position, but the young guns are coming
Nico Elvedi, who has competed with Schär for the centre-back spot alongside defensive boss Manuel Akanji in recent years, is the logical solution, at least for the short-term future. However, Elvedi already had a better standing in the national team. He didn't play a single minute at the European Championships. And after a difficult last season at Borussia Mönchengladbach, he now has to prove himself anew.
The competition never sleeps. Cédric Zesiger is a regular in Wolfsburg. And he is left-footed. If Yakin wants to play with a back four again in the future - or if Ricardo Rodriguez should drop out of the three-man defense - that could play into the hands of a left-footer.
Becir Omeragic (22), Leonidas Stergiou (22) and Aurèle Amenda (21) will also have ambitions in the medium and long term. Omeragic is a regular at Montpellier, but has not yet enjoyed much confidence from Yakin - partly due to the strong competition. Stuttgart legionnaire Stergiou, currently injured, made three brief appearances at the European Championships, albeit at right-back. Amenda must first prove himself in the Bundesliga after his move to Eintracht Frankfurt, but is currently still important for the U21s anyway.
The national team is equipped for the future in defense even without Schär. In the upcoming Nations League games, Yakin will have the opportunity to try things out. And also give players a chance who have so far been somewhat overshadowed by Akanji and Schär.
