Granit Xhaka's state of health is a talking point ahead of the quarter-final against England. His involvement would be important, as the captain has played an outstanding final round so far.
The question is suggestive and yet justified: "Is this the best Granit Xhaka you've ever seen in the national team?" A reporter asked the question the day after the 2:0 win in the round of 16 against Italy. In that game, Xhaka sat on the pitch after a quarter of an hour with his face contorted in pain because he felt an adductor injury that he had sustained in penalty training. The Swiss bench was briefly unsettled.
Vincent Sierro warmed up as a precaution, but Xhaka was able to continue after brief treatment. And how! As if nothing had happened, he took on his usual dominant role in the game. In the end, he accounted for almost a fifth of all Swiss passes, with Xhaka once again impressing with his precision: 94 of the 98 passes were successful.
And because Xhaka had already shone in the other three games, being named man of the match against Hungary and Germany, the reporter's question came up. "I hope the last few years weren't so bad either," Xhaka replied dryly. He has become a little older and more experienced, summed up the midfield strategist, who will turn 32 in September. But ultimately, he too is just part of a team.
"Granit is like a good wine: the older it gets, the better it gets." (Remo Freuler)
Pacesetter and driving force
Xhaka is far more than just a distributor of passes in the center. He sets the tempo, drives his teammates on and gives instructions. The extent to which he does this was demonstrated in the round of 16 when Ruben Vargas took the ball on his right foot at Xhaka's call ("Shoot!") and curled it into the corner of the goal. Xhaka's word is his bond, his presence on the pitch is second to none.
Xhaka knows exactly how important he is to the team. The fact that he no longer has to emphasize this himself speaks volumes for his development. In the last year in particular, Xhaka has matured in many respects. The man of big statements expresses himself more calmly and thinks twice about whether and when provocation is needed.
There have been a few of these at past tournaments. The hot-blooded World Cup duels with Serbia must be viewed against the backdrop of his family history and the imprisonment of his father. But Xhaka has always been someone who draws his energy from the friction he creates with the media, fans and opponents. At this tournament, too, he had considered "doing something", Xhaka explained in a deliberately cryptic manner. But then he let it go. Because: "It's also good when everything is quiet."
"When you're on the ball, he's there. When you have time, he's there. When you're under pressure, he's there. When you're 3-0 down, he's there. If you're leading 2:1, he's there. That's Granit, he always wants the ball, he always wants to help. That's why he's our captain." (Michel Aebischer)
Matured in Leverkusen
At the European Championship in Germany, Xhaka is almost statesmanlike in his demeanor, never letting himself get rattled. There are many reasons for this. However, the move last summer was certainly a turning point. After seven years at Arsenal FC, where he left as a crowd favorite after ups and downs, he moved to Leverkusen.
Not that Xhaka stagnated in London. There, too, he had to overcome various challenges, which helped him grow. But it seemed as if he needed another change in order to take the next step off the pitch. The exchange with Xabi Alonso, his coach in Leverkusen, contributed to this.
It is obvious that Xhaka can identify with the Spaniard. As a professional, Alonso also pulled the strings in midfield and did not always have his temper under control. Today, he is extremely thoughtful and is already regarded as a great coach. No wonder Xhaka, who has started a coaching course, is taking his cue from the 42-year-old and assuming even more responsibility. "The negative phase in the autumn opened my eyes to the fact that I wasn't fulfilling the role I should as captain of the national team," said Xhaka. His new recipe: no more power games and open communication.
"With his body language, Granit radiates an energy that benefits everyone." (Pierluigi Tami)
In the beginning was England
It was a Saturday evening in June 2011 when 18-year-old Granit Xhaka made his debut for the national team. The opponents were England and the venue was London's Wembley Stadium with over 80,000 fans. It was the biggest possible stage for the start of an impressive career, which national team coach Ottmar Hitzfeld foresaw even then: "Granit was an asset to our game. He has a great future ahead of him."
Next Saturday's opponents will once again be England. Xhaka, now a record international, could make his 130th appearance for Switzerland and celebrate the greatest success in the history of the association with the team. "In the end, it's all about passion, energy and a positive mindset," said Xhaka. "And we've managed that very well so far."
Developments are rarely linear, but rather undulating. It is therefore difficult to answer the question of whether this is really the best Xhaka we have ever seen in the national team. He has had better and worse phases in the last 13 years. Like many others in the team, he is undoubtedly on a high at the moment. In any case, Xhaka recently told his two daughters that he only comes home "when something big happens".
"Granit has always been a world-class player and he'll be playing at this level for a few more years." (Silvan Widmer)
SDA
