World Cup 2018: 5 Swiss players to look out for

In the 2006 World Cup, Switzerland crashed out of the competition in the Round of 16 after losing on penalties. The team failed to score a single penalty in the shootout against Ukraine, creating a historical record in the process. Four years later, the Swiss national team won just one of their three group stage matches. That ended their hopes of advancing further in the competition. In the previous edition, Die Nati was eliminated in the Round of 16 too.

The furthest the boys have reached is the quarter-finals. However, that feat was dated back to 1954 when Switzerland was the host nation. Looking at their journey to the World Cup, the nation did an amazing job to draw with Spain less than two weeks ago. Then, they overcame Japan with ease. The only time the team did not score was during the goalless draw against Northern Ireland back in November 2017.

In this calendar year, Petković's boys have not lost. The squad's last loss was at the hands of Euro 2016 Champions, Portugal, which dated back in October 2017. The historical records of Switzerland's performance in the World Cup are certainly not in the nation's favor. However, the European team generally looks strong with a couple of players to look out for. These players could make a difference for their nation and see Die Nati advance far in Russia.

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#5 Yann Sommer

Sommer is due to make his first World Cup appearance

The 29-year-old keeper is set to be his nation's first choice in between the posts. He was in the squad which traveled to Brazil for the 2014 edition of the World Cup. However, the goalkeeper remained on the bench all the time. When Switzerland faces Brazil, Sommer could make his first long-awaited appearance in the World Cup.

In 35 appearances for his nation, Sommer has kept 10 clean sheets and conceded 19 goals. He is considered to be extremely focused and alert throughout the match even if the action does not happen in his own half. With Brazil's attackers having great pace in their games, his ability to concentrate would be vital for his nation. The Borussia Mönchengladbach keeper has an average 92% claim success and made 2.46 saves per game in Bundesliga last season. His consistent performances have made him one of the biggest stars of his club.

Standing at 1.83m, Sommer is definitely not the tallest keeper in the competition. It is foreseen that Switzerland will advance to the Round of 16. Previously in Euro 2016, his nation had lost on penalties to Poland in the Round of 16. During the build-up to the World Cup, he surely would have worked on penalties and will be hoping not to repeat the same fate this time around.

#4 Ricardo Rodriguez

Rodriguez has scored two goals in the last two matches

The AC Milan defender stands strongly alongside captain Stephan Lichtsteiner. The Zurich born left-back has 53 caps to his name and brings lots of experience to his side. According to WhoScored, Rodriguez is strong in holding onto the ball and his passing. At the same time, he offers a strong threat in set-pieces and is able to cross the ball accurately.

After a pretty decent performance in Serie A, he has attracted suitors from English Premier League and Bundesliga. For now, his main focus will be on his country’s World Cup journey in Russia. His side will kick off their campaign against Brazil in the first match of Group E. It is certainly difficult and challenging to stop the likes of Neymar, Philippe Coutinho, and Gabriel Jesus. However, Rodriguez has shown his maturity and ability to cope with pressure. It may be the time that he shines in his second World Cup.

In the most recent match against Japan, Rodriguez converted the penalty with perfection. Additionally, he scored his nation's only goal against Spain. David de Gea made a shocking error during the match and the left-back stepped up to score. Even though he is a defender, the 25-year-old enjoys supporting his team-mates in the attack. He often advances forward quickly and seizes the chance to be in the box whenever he can. Rodriguez is absolutely one of the Swiss players to look out for this summer.

#3 Breel Embolo

Embolo could start on the bench for his nation

At just 21 years of age, he is one of the youngest players who is set to play in the World Cup this summer. Embolo made his senior professional debut when he was just 18-years-old. Thus far, the attacking midfielder has made 25 appearances and provided 5 assists for his team.

Although the Cameroon born player may not be named in the starting line-up, he offers his team an additional option on the bench to bring in some creativity into the game. Besides that, the Schalke 04 youngster is known to be particularly strong in his dribbling skills and can help in his team defensively. Two years ago, the teenager had already made himself a name for his insanely good dribbling ability. Once again in the match against Japan, he showcased his huge potential to be an influential player in the attacking midfield.

Embolo already has quite a great deal of experience for someone of his age. During his second season in Bundesliga, he mainly emerged from the bench as a substitute for his team. However, he was still able to score three goals and create three assists. His first season ended prematurely after a knee injury ruled him out for almost a year. Having the opportunity to play in the World Cup will surely be a great learning experience for him. He can become the next Swiss star in the near future and perhaps follow the footsteps of Shaqiri and Xhaka to play in the Premier League.

#2 Granit Xhaka

The midfielder had an injury scare just a few weeks before World Cup started

The Arsenal midfielder struggled in his first Premier League season, where fans started to question his price tag. After learning from his mistakes, Xhaka emerged as one of the more reliable players in the Gunners’ horrible 2017/18 season. The natural left-footer is extremely accurate with his long passes. This can be crucial in helping the Swiss transition from defence to attack, and vice versa.

Earlier, the 25-year-old suffered an injury scare during one of the training sessions. Fortunately, the Swiss suffered only a bone bruise and is fit for the competition. Despite not taking part in the match against Spain, he played the full 90 minutes against Japan, which proves that he is fit to play for his country in the group stage.

The 25-year-old has an average pass accuracy of 87% in the Premier League and his average pass length is a high of 19m. Undoubtedly, he is one of the most talented midfielders in England and has lots of potential in the Swiss national team. There is no reason why Xhaka will be left out of the starting eleven given his abilities and strengths.

Xhaka made his international debut in 2011 and this will be his second time playing in the World Cup. Although his statistics for the national team is not particularly impressive, he is a regular starter under coach Vladimir Petković. Xhaka's ability to accurately spot his team-mates from a deep-lying midfield position will certainly make his play an eye-catching performance.

There are high expectations of him and his country could be counting on him to be influential in the midfield. The battle against Brazil's talented midfield will be an interesting one to watch.

#1 Xherdan Shaqiri

Shaqiri will be Switzerland's main man

The 26-year-old Swiss international is undoubtedly one of the best football talents that the team has. Blessed with a strong left foot, he is extremely accurate with his set-pieces and finishing. According to statistics provided by Squawka, he has a pass accuracy of 81% and a shot accuracy of 62%.

Even though he has scored just eight goals and created seven assists in the whole Premier League season, critics should not judge solely on his goalscoring record. For a team who has struggled in the domestic league, Shaqiri remains one of the most consistent performing players of the club.

Since Shaqiri made his debut in 2010, he has gone on to make 70 appearances, scoring 20 goals in the process. Traveling to Russia this summer, he is one of the players who can lead Switzerland to greater heights. The Stoke City player is the key player that everyone should be wary of. It will be a stern competition for the European team when they face Brazil. The expert set-piece taker could be the main player who will unlock the defence of his opponents.