SWITZERLAND AND THE CONSOLIDATION OF THEIR LONG-TERM PLAN

BERN (dpa) – Switzerland are no longer unexpected World Cup participants. Russia 2018 is set to be their eleventh edition of the event, and the fourth one in succession. Vladimir Petkovic, an impressive manager in many respects who curiously has three different nationalities (Croatian, Bosnian and Swiss) led them to the event.
The road to Russia was not easy for the Swiss. They won nine out of their ten matches, but they were still relegated to second place in their qualifying-round group for having a worse goal difference than Portugal. They needed a nerve-wracking play-off against Northern Ireland and only made it through to the World Cup with a goal from the spot scored by Ricardo Rodriguez in the first leg.
Switzerland fans have now become quite demanding, and they booed their team when they saw qualification at risk during the return leg in Basel. That is the problem with getting used to playing major tournaments.
The World Cup quarter-finals Switzerland reached in 1934, 1938 and 1954 still seem very far away. However, their current group, with Brazil apparently out of reach but with Costa Rica and Serbia as easier rivals, makes the round of 16 sound like a realistic aspiration. Many still remember what happened in Brazil 2014, when the Swiss made things incredibly tough for Argentina before going out on an extra-time goal from Angel Di María.
Players like Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka, Ricardo Rodriguez, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Breel Embolo and Admir Mehmedi come together in a side where the team is more important than any of its components. Petkovic is pressing on with a plan that consolidated under Ottmar Hitzfeld and keeps delivering good results.
THE STAR: Xherdan Shaqiri is set to get to Russia at an age that seems ideal for a World Cup. At 26, the Stoke City winger has played in three of Europe’s most competitive championships (the Bundesliga, the Premier League and Serie A) and still has room for improvement. The World Cup could see him rise further.
THE MANAGER: Few men in football are as well-respected as Vladimir Petkovic. He speaks six languages (Croatian, Italian, French, Spanish, German and Russian), and in 2003-08 he worked for the Caritas charity, helping the homeless. Petkovic is much admired for his performances, both on and off the pitch.
SCHEDULE: Switzerland-Brazil (17/6 in Rostov-on-Don), Switzerland-Serbia (22/6 in Kaliningrad) and Switzerland-Costa Rica (27/6 in Nizhny Novgorod).
BEST RESULTS: World Cup quarter-finals in 1934, 1938 and 1954.
DID YOU KNOW THAT... Switzerland have not played the second knock-out round of a World Cup since 1954?