{"id":39395,"date":"2026-07-12T16:17:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T14:17:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/?post_type=news&#038;p=39395"},"modified":"2026-07-12T16:18:23","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T14:18:23","slug":"swiss-fans-salute-team-after-world-cup-run-ends-in-defeat-by-argentina","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/news\/swiss-fans-salute-team-after-world-cup-run-ends-in-defeat-by-argentina\/","title":{"rendered":"Swiss fans salute team after World Cup run ends in defeat by Argentina"},"content":{"rendered":"<div dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: var(--global--font-secondary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">Swiss soccer fans saluted their team in the early hours of Sunday after their World Cup run came to an end with a 3-1 defeat by Argentina in the quarter-finals.<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"ms-outlook-mobile-signature\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>The Swiss had reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1954, but fell one match short of an unprecedented semi-final appearance.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>Their task was made all the more difficult with the absence of their leading scorer Johan Manzambi due to a knee injury, while Breel Embolo\u2019s controversial dismissal in the 72nd minute against Argentina changed the complexion of the match.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>Despite the disappointment, fans were proud of their team\u2019s efforts and went back home in the early morning waving their Swiss flags.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>\u201cIn our hearts you won, Switzerland,\u201d Switzerland fan Laura K. said in Nyon early on Sunday. \u201cTen against 11 with Argentina.\u201d<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>Swiss President Guy Parmelin said on social media that Murat Yakin\u2019s side had captivated the country.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>\u201cDespite today\u2019s disappointment, what stands out for me above all is an exceptional campaign and a close-knit team that has thrilled the whole of Switzerland,\u201d he added.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>Parmelin had caused a stir by wearing a red MAGA-style hat proclaiming: \u201cSwitzerland: Great Since 1291\u201d, a reference to the country\u2019s original federal charter, while attending their knockout match against Algeria in Vancouver.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>Alexis Mac Allister had given Argentina an early lead in Kansas City before Dan Ndoye equalised for the Swiss in the 67th minute.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>With the game heading to a penalty shootout, Argentina\u2019s Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored deep in extra time to secure a dramatic 3-1 win for the defending champions that set up a semi-final against England.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>Some fans could not hide their disappointment.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>\u201cIn my opinion, it\u2019s better not to talk, I\u2019m too tired,\u201d said fan Emma Bannerlin.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>Switzerland\u2019s showing equalled their previous best World Cup performances, quarter-final appearances in 1934, 1938 and on home soil in 1954.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>The Swiss team draws on the country\u2019s diverse migrant communities, with the squad featuring players with Kosovan, Turkish, Spanish, Congolese and Cameroonian heritage, among others.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>They qualified for the World Cup after topping their group and arrived in North America having lost only one of their previous 42 World Cup qualifiers.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>En route to the quarter-finals, they defeated Bosnia and co-hosts Canada in the group phase, before beating Algeria and Colombia in the knockout phase.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>Yakin\u2019s squad blended experienced internationals with a younger generation throughout the tournament. Captain Granit Xhaka is Switzerland\u2019s record all-time appearance holder after a decade and a half with the national side.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div>The backbone of the team was drawn from Europe\u2019s top leagues, including goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, defender Manuel Akanji, midfielder Remo Freuler, forward Embolo and winger Ndoye.<\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\"><\/div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\">\u2014Reuters\u2014<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":36853,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[20],"class_list":["post-39395","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-sport","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"The Swiss had reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1954.","published_date":"","news_description":"The Swiss had reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1954.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/39395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/39395\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39396,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/39395\/revisions\/39396"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=39395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}