Switzerland won their first ever World Cup at any level in the Under-17 World Cup recently. They beat the highly rated Nigerians in the finals, to complete an unexpected victory.
Success at all levels
Swiss football has been in the doldrums in recent times until their national team qualified for next year s World Cup. That victory has seen a massive surge of confidence in the sides sent out to represent the country.
Multinational heroes
Twelve of the Switzerland squad hold dual nationality and could play for other countries at senior level in the future. Their playmaker Nassim Ben Khalifa could represent Tunisia if he wished, as his parents are from the African country. Their top scorer at the tournament Haris Seferovic is also eligible to play for Bosnia.
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Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas has struggled for first team football at Chelsea this season
Chelsea and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas has endured a strange couple of years. In season 2014/15 the midfielder was a key player as Chelsea won the Premier League title under Jose Mourinho.
Then last season saw a downturn in Mourinho and Chelsea’s fortunes, as the Blues finished tenth in the table.
This season under Antonio Conte, Fabregas has cut a frustrated figure as he has spent much of the campaign on the Blues bench.
His lack of playing time has led to reports of a move to Italian giants AC Milan and more recently Roma.
Sat on the Chelsea bench
The last season and a half must have been frustrating for the Spaniard. The 29-year-old has …
Gary Lineker says he has been reduced to tears by Leicester City s decision to sack Claudio Ranieri.
The former Leicester striker thinks the club s move to axe Ranieri less than a year after he won the Premier League against all odds is a sad moment for modern football.
Lineker famously criticised the Italian s appointment in 2015 and lost a bet that meant he had to present the BBC s Match of the Day in his underpants when they won the title.
But having been won over by Ranieri, he cannot believe what Leicester have done.
It is very sad, he said to BBC Radio 4. It is inexplicable to me. It is inexplicable to a lot football fans who love the game.
I shed a tear last night for Claudio, for football and for my club.
I suppose you can expla…
Best Odds: 19/20
Bookmaker:
Knowing that they can officially retain their Premier League crown this weekend, Manchester City will welcome a struggling Chelsea to the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester City
Starting with the hosts, making a major Champions League statement earlier in the week as they cruised their way to only a second European final, the mood in Manchester City’s camp is at a red-hot high. Eventually storming their way to a famous 4-0 romp against Real Madrid, Pep Guardiola’s high-flying squad have continued on a remarkable purple patch. Knowing that they can officially defend their Premier League crown this weekend, the ex-Barcelona boss finds his side in the midst of a 23-match unbeaten run across all competitions. With that extended r…
Lionel Messi poses such a danger that Lyon have revealed they will play hard to stop Paris Saint-Germain s superstar in Sunday s Ligue 1 showdown.
Lyon head coach Peter Bosz spoke of his admiration for Messi but warned that his team would ditch the niceties during the evening game at the Parc des Princes.
After scoring five goals in six Champions League games against Lyon during his long Barcelona career, Messi is now a rival at a domestic level after his shock Camp Nou departure.
A cameo against Reims before the international break was followed by a first full 90 minutes in the midweek Champions League draw with Club Brugge.
Now Messi appears likely to make his first Ligue 1 start as Lyon head to the capital, where they have won only once in their last…
Udinese boss Francesco Guidolin has expressed concern over the atmosphere around the club after he was jeered by sections of the crowd.
The 57-year-old has been at charge at the Stadio Friuli since 2010, and has helped the Udine outfit achieve three top-five finishes in Serie A during that time.
However, Guidolin was booed as Udinese struggled to a 1-0 win over Genoa on Tuesday, and he has subsequently discussed a change in atmosphere at the club this season.
It’s better that the fans take it out on me, he told Sky Sport Italia. Perhaps some think we can win the Scudetto, but we’ve already performed miracles here.
Something has changed in the atmosphere around the club. I made my decisions, but it looks as if the passion around me is ending, even though my pa…
Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Nicolas Douchez has agreed a one-year contract extension with the Ligue 1 champions.
The 33-year-old Frenchman has served as backup to Salvatore Sirigu this season, having arrived at the Parc des Princes in 2011 from Rennes.
Despite featuring infrequently during his time with the title holders, Douchez has penned an extension that keeps him under contract until June 2015.
To continue with Paris Saint-Germain is something obvious to me, he told the club s official website.
I experienced so many memorable moments with the club and I want to continue to win titles.
Douchez has won the Ligue 1 title and the Trophee des Champions during his time with PSG.
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David Moyes is refusing to countenance the possibility of Sunderland losing star striker Jermain Defoe for free at the end of the season.
The 34-year-old was finally handed the chance to resurrect his international career last Sunday and scored the opener in a man-of-the-match display as England saw off Lithuania 2-0 at Wembley.
His performance was a continuation of the stunning form he has shown on Wearside since joining Sunderland in the January transfer window in 2015. The former Tottenham striker has netted 33 times in 78 league appearances, helping Sunderland twice avoid relegation to the Championship.
Reports this week have suggested Defoe has a clause in his contract that will allow him to leave for free in the summer should Sunderland go down they are sev…
Gabriel Jesus had his storming start to life in the Premier League checked by injury but Manchester City were able to chalk up a 2-0 win at Bournemouth to go second in the table.
Pep Guardiola s side cut Chelsea s healthy advantage to eight points and took a 29th-minute lead on the south coast through Raheem Sterling.
The opener arrived after teenage sensation Jesus, fresh from three goals in his first two top flight starts, departed with a foot problem.
Sergio Aguero has been consigned to the bench by the Brazil international, with speculation over his long-term future at City an inevitable by-product of his demotion.
City s top scorer was denied a 19th goal this season when Tyrone Mings was ruled to have got the more decisive touch to Sterling s 69th-m…
Best Odds: 1/1
Bookmaker:
Looking to lay down another marker when they turn their attention back to Europa League duties on Thursday night, West Ham will welcome Rapid Vienna to the London Stadium.
West Ham
Starting with the hosts, while West Ham would have been left heartbroken by their last-gasp defeat against Manchester United earlier in the month, it appears that was just a minor blip for the Hammers. Only continuing to gain a string of plaudits from across the Premier League over the past 12 months, David Moyes side find the mood in their camp at a red-hot high. Extending on their EFL Cup adventure with an impressive 1-0 win at Old Trafford last week, the one-time Everton boss once again saw his side show their resolve on Saturday afternoon. Mounting an ey…