Switzerland’s record-holder

The clash between Colombia and Switzerland in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup marked yet another historic chapter in Granit Xhaka’s career. The Swiss captain reached 151 caps for his country and further extended his record as the player who has worn the national shirt the most times.

Players with the most appearances for the Swiss national team:

  1. Granit Xhaka – 151

  2. Ricardo Rodríguez – 143

  3. Xherdan Shaqiri – 125

  4. Heinz Hermann – 118

  5. Alain Geiger – 112

  6. Stephan Lichtsteiner – 108

  7. Stéphane Chapuisat – 103

  8. Johann Vogel / Yann Sommer – 94

  9. Haris Seferović / Remo Freuler – 93

  10. Breel Embolo – 91

The match itself ended in a goalless draw after extra time and the 33-year-old captain calmly took Switzerland's first penalty in the shoot-out and scored.

With a 4–3 victory on penalties – Switzerland’s 11th consecutive win in official matches – the team secured a place in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years. The last time was in 1954, when the country hosted the tournament.

No one symbolises Switzerland’s triumph better than Granit Xhaka.

Early career

The current national team captain had already emerged as one of the ‘Nati’s’ leading figures since his teenage years. In 2009, he was one of the key players in the team’s victory at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

At the same time, he was also establishing himself as one of Basel’s most promising young players, helping the club win three consecutive youth titles between 2006 and 2009.

His promotion to the first team came in 2010. It didn’t take long for Xhaka to show his potential: a midfielder of great technical quality, capable of dictating the play, but also an intense and combative leader. He scored on his professional debut and ended the season lifting the Swiss Super League trophy.

The following year, he was one of the standout players in Switzerland’s run to the final of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, though the team were eventually beaten by Spain.

His senior international debut came shortly afterwards, in June, against England in the Euro qualifiers.

Later in 2011, Xhaka played a direct part in his first goals for the national team: he provided an assist against Montenegro in October and scored his first goal in a Switzerland shirt in a friendly against Luxembourg the following month.

Meanwhile, at club level, Xhaka continued to go from strength to strength. In his second season with Basel’s first team, he won another Swiss Super League title and also lifted the Swiss Cup.

His place in the Swiss national team soon became undisputed. There was no doubt that Xhaka was one of the most promising young talents in Swiss football.

The weight of his roots

It is interesting to consider that Xhaka’s career with the Swiss national team might never have happened had things unfolded differently. After all, Xhaka’s family are from Kosovo. His older brother, Taulant, also a professional footballer, represented Albania on the international stage, and Granit could have done the same, but chose to wear the colours of the country where he was born. The Kosovo national team was only accepted as a member of FIFA in 2016, long after Xhaka had already sealed his future in the Swiss shirt.

Even so, this dual identity has always been part of his journey. Throughout his career, Xhaka has never hidden his pride in both having grown up in Switzerland and his Kosovar roots – a sentiment he summed up in a striking phrase: “I have two hearts in my chest.” (Sports Illustrated)

Life lessons

The story of Granit and Taulant’s family explains their complex national identity. Both were born in Basel after their parents, Ragip and Eli, managed to flee Kosovo – then an autonomous province of Yugoslavia – with the help of Amnesty International.

“My father taught me that you have to be strong to achieve things. That’s why, on the pitch, I have that mental strength to overcome difficulties and push on.” – Granit Xhaka

Before moving to Switzerland, Ragip, then a 22-year-old university student, spent three and a half years in prison for political reasons after taking part in anti-government demonstrations. He was arrested just three months after starting his relationship with Eli. She waited for his release and, as soon as he left prison, the couple started a new life in Switzerland, where Granit and Taulant were born.

This story not only explains Xhaka’s strong connection to his two cultural backgrounds, but also helps to understand the personality that has made him one of the leading figures of his generation. With an intense and competitive nature, the defensive midfielder has always been known as much for his leadership qualities as for his fighting spirit on the pitch.

Xhaka himself makes this connection: “My father showed incredible strength, and Taulant and I grew up with that mental strength of his. We had this role model, this example, who taught us that you have to be strong to achieve things. That’s why we grew up to be so strong. That’s why, on the pitch, we have that mental strength to overcome difficulties and push forward.” (The Guardian)

To make ends meet in Switzerland, Xhaka’s parents worked tirelessly. The player has been moved when recalling that, on some days during his childhood, he would spend up to 18 hours alone at home, responsible for looking after the household at just four years old. He attributes part of his natural leadership ability to these childhood experiences.

From rising star to key player

It was precisely this leadership quality that led to Xhaka’s appointment as captain of Borussia Mönchengladbach for the 2015–16 season, at the age of 22.

He had joined the club in 2012 and, before being handed the captain’s armband, enjoyed the best season of his career to date. He played in every Bundesliga match, was named in the Team of the Season and helped the club secure a place in the Champions League.

Two years later, he played in his first World Cup. Switzerland’s campaign ended in the round of 16, but Xhaka made his mark by finding the net in the defeat to France – his first World Cup goal.

His next major international appearance for Switzerland was at Euro 2016 – a dramatic tournament for Xhaka. His missed penalty in the match against Poland cost the team a place in the quarter-finals, and he even faced his own brother, Taulant, in the group stage, when the ‘Nati’ took on Albania. As Granit would later recall: “It was very emotional. There was a photo of my mum wearing a shirt that was half Albanian, half Swiss. If you’d asked her where she felt most at home, she’d have said both places.” (Sunderland AFC)

In October of that year, Xhaka was named captain of Switzerland for the first time, in a World Cup qualifier victory over Andorra.

The English challenge

It was also that year that Xhaka began a new chapter in his career by moving to Arsenal. Over the next seven years, he became an indispensable part of the Gunners’ midfield and one of the squad’s leaders.

As well as his ability to control the tempo of the game, Xhaka gained a reputation for his long-range shots, which accounted for some of the club’s finest goals during that period. He was also instrumental in the club’s FA Cup and Community Shield victories in 2017 and scored the goal that ended Manchester United’s 25-match unbeaten run.

But it wasn’t all positive moments in London. The fiery temperament that made him a leader on the pitch also led to clashes with the fans and the coaching staff. At the end of 2019, just over a month after being handed the captain’s armband by manager Unai Emery, Xhaka lost the captaincy and was even temporarily dropped from the first-team squad.

Unfazed by difficult times, Xhaka once again drew on experiences from his childhood to get through this challenging period: “I can handle criticism, especially when it’s deserved, and that’s because my father never, ever, said ‘well done’ to me. He did that on purpose, so that I’d keep my feet on the ground.” (The Guardian)

With his head held high and his feet firmly on the ground, Xhaka did not give up. On the contrary, he got back to work and managed to turn the situation around under the club’s new manager, Mikel Arteta, in 2020. That year, he won his second FA Cup and FA Community Shield with the Gunners and, in the years that followed, became a fan favourite – a symbol of experience and maturity in midfield, dictating and organising the play.

This ability to turn the toughest moments into fuel for growth has become one of the hallmarks of his career. Xhaka himself sees value in the obstacles he has faced: “I think I’ve become stronger, better, because of it. It’s part of the process. It’s part of writing this whole story. On the one hand, it was really bad. On the other, I was lucky to have gone through it.” (BBC Sport)

The Swiss captain’s armband

Xhaka also managed to overcome adversity for Switzerland during this period. Some doubted his ability to lead the national team as captain, but Xhaka held his head high and continued to respond in the way he likes best: on the pitch.

At the end of 2018, he officially took over the captain’s armband for the ‘Nati’. Since then, he has led the team in 78 matches, equivalent to more than half of his appearances for the national side (52 per cent). However, without letting himself be carried away by such recognition, Xhaka summed up the significance of the captain’s armband as follows: “I don’t need that role to take responsibility on the pitch.” (Sports Illustrated)

At Euro 2020 – held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – he experienced one of the most memorable moments of his international career. In the round of 16, he provided the assist for Mario Gavranović’s 90th-minute equaliser against France. The match went to penalties, and Switzerland knocked out the reigning world champions in one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s recent history.

At the 2022 World Cup, Xhaka played every minute of Switzerland’s campaign. Just over a year later, he became the player with the most caps for the national team, surpassing Heinz Hermann’s record.

The perfect season

It was also in 2023 that Xhaka returned to Germany, this time to play for Bayer Leverkusen. The impact was immediate. In his very first season, he led a team that set a new unbeaten record in European football and won the Bundesliga for the first time, bringing an end to Bayern Munich’s run of 11 consecutive titles. Under Xhaka’s leadership, Leverkusen also became the first club in Bundesliga history to complete a season unbeaten.

“I’m the sort of bloke who likes to take risks. I love a challenge.” – Granit Xhaka

In the match that sealed the German title, he scored one of the goals in the 5–0 thrashing of Werder Bremen. A few weeks later, he was once again decisive, scoring the only goal in the DFB-Pokal final against Kaiserslautern, securing yet another historic trophy for the club.

In his first two seasons at Leverkusen, Xhaka led the Bundesliga in touches, successful passes, successful passes in the final third and ball recoveries in the middle third of the pitch. His performances earned him a place in the Bundesliga and Europa League teams of the season for 2023–24.

A place in history

Later in 2024, at the age of 31, Xhaka received his first – and so far only – nomination for the ‘Ballon d'Or’. He finished in 16th place and joined a very select group in the history of Swiss football.

In total, only eight players in the history of the Swiss national team have ever been nominated for the award, and Xhaka is the only one to have achieved this feat in the 21st century.

Swiss national team players nominated for the ‘Ballon d'Or’:

  • Charles Antenen (1961 – 35th place)

  • Norbert Eschmann (1961 – 28th place)

  • Köbi Kuhn (1965 – 25th place)

  • Heinz Hermann (1987 – 21st place)

  • Stéphane Chapuisat (1991 – 13th place; 1992 – 9th place; 1993 – 9th place)

  • Ciriaco Sforza (1994 – 21st place)

  • Kubilay Türkyilmaz (1996 – 19th place)

  • Granit Xhaka (2024 – 16th place)

It is worth noting that two goalkeepers from the Swiss national team were also nominated for the Yashin Trophy, presented at the ‘Ballon d'Or’ ceremony: Gregor Kobel (2024 – 10th place) and Yann Sommer (2024 – 6th place; 2025 – 3rd place).

The courage to start afresh

In 2025, Xhaka surprised everyone by leaving Leverkusen for Sunderland, who had just been promoted to the Premier League after eight years away from the English top flight. His reasoning was simple: “I’m the sort of bloke who likes to take risks. I love a challenge.” (FIFA)

As on so many other occasions in his career, the gamble paid off. Chosen as captain by manager Régis Le Bris even before making his debut, Xhaka led a campaign that exceeded all expectations. Sunderland finished the Premier League season in seventh place and secured a place in the Europa League. As a result, they will compete in European competition for the first time in over 50 years. Their only previous appearance had been in the 1973–74 European Cup Winners’ Cup.

In pursuit of the dream

Xhaka arrived at the 2026 World Cup as one of the tournament’s most experienced leaders. So far, he has played every minute of Switzerland’s campaign and further extended his record for appearances for the national team.

The penalty he scored late in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina also brought him very close to breaking into the top 10 all-time goalscorers in Swiss history. He is just one goal away from reaching that milestone.

Top goalscorers in the history of the Swiss national team:

  1. Alex Frei – 42

  2. Max Abegglen / Kubilay Türkyilmaz – 34

  3. Xherdan Shaqiri – 32

  4. Jacques Fatton / Trello Abegglen – 29

  5. Breel Embolo – 26

  6. Adrian Knup / Haris Seferović – 25

  7. Charles Antenen / Josef Hügi – 22

  8. Stéphane Chapuisat – 21

  9. Hakan Yakin / Lauro Amadò – 20

  10. Robert Ballaman – 19

  11. Granit Xhaka – 18

  12. Mario Gavranović – 16

But Xhaka’s importance to the team goes far beyond his goals. Involved in all phases of the game, he has already made 37 ball recoveries and 71 successful passes in the final third – figures that reflect his influence both in defence and in building up play.

Now, Switzerland face their biggest challenge yet: taking on the reigning world champions, Lionel Messi’s Argentina, in the quarter-finals.

Will the Swiss manage to pull off another historic result?

Whatever the game plan, one thing is certain: they will be counting on their legendary captain, Granit Xhaka, to help them overcome this challenge.

As for the captain himself, the aim remains the same: “We want to make our dreams come true – by achieving something extraordinary.” (FIFA)