Former Arsenal defender Phillippe Senderos has warned England that Euro 2024 quarter-final opponents Switzerland are on course to complete a hat-trick of elite nation scalps.
The Swiss, under ex-Basel star Murat Yakin, have emerged as one of the surprise packages of the tournament so far – with many viewing them as favourites for Saturday’s crunch clash versus Gareth Southgate’s side.
Switzerland added Italy to their growing list of big name European Championship scalps having eliminated France at Euro 2020.
Yakin’s side have lost just once in 18 matches and are building a reputation as one of the continent’s best emerging teams.
And ex-Switzerland international Senderos, who is currently working under former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger at FIFA, said: ‘They beat France in the last Euros and they beat Italy now, that’s two big nations I believe.
Ruben Vargas (right) helped Switzerland into the quarter-final against England
Gareth Southgate’s men face a stern examination against the Swiss on Saturday
‘What they need is to go to the last quarter, the last four teams, they haven’t done that.
‘We know the work that has been done in Switzerland in terms of talent development, it took 20 years. My generation, 1985, we were the first generation to win a title internationally at U17 level, then the 1992 generation won the World Cup at the U17 level.
‘Then we qualified for multiple U19 World Cups, U19 Euros. It doesn’t just happen from one day to another and now the last six tournaments, this team has qualified.
‘It’s the amount of big games, that’s where you learn the most so I believe Switzerland are very well prepared for this England game. They’ve already beaten big teams and have this baggage and experience.’
Senderos, however, does not buy that his nation are the favourites ahead of Saturday’s match.
‘I think England in a big tournament will always be favourite ahead of Switzerland, because of the name, the history etc.’ said Senderos, who holds the role as high performance specialist with FIFA’s talent development scheme.
Former Switzerland international Phillippe Senderos warned England of the Swiss quality
‘In terms of the game and form, at the moment Switzerland has had a fantastic tournament and has really gone through the rounds comfortably with a lot of technical control as well as game control.
‘I believe Switzerland comes in with a bit of confidence. I still think this is a big competition and we’ve seen France not firing the way they should, England not yet.
‘But they are building up into the competition, so I expect a very tough game. It goes well for Switzerland not to be the favourite.’
There has been concern heading into the game regarding Grant Xhaka’s fitness. The Bayern Leverkusen midfielder, who left Arsenal last year, is the heartbeat of the Swiss side and Senderos added: ‘I think he got the credit he deserved. Everyone really appreciated Granit as a professional and for what he brought to the team.
‘We saw it in his last year at Arsenal, he was really one of the leaders. He just found a different club, where they play a different type of football probably and it’s something that really suits him and they needed someone like him in their team.
‘And we saw Leverkusen this year flying through the league and the cup and even the European cup so it’s been fantastic. I’m very happy for him and the next step in his career. Maybe for Arsenal, he went through ups and downs and the down was very, very hard on him.
Granit Xhaka has been the main man in the heart of midfield for the Swiss
‘But his character and his quality showed and he was able to come back from this down where not many players would have come back from. That’s remarkable and towards the end, in his last year, everyone recognised what sort of player he is.’
On his reunion with Wenger, who is FIFA’s chief of global football development, Senderos, 39, added: ‘So Arsene is still my boss!
‘He sends experts or people into countries to work on the talent development scheme which is working on different areas of the federation and help them reach their full potential.’