The Nati will face Denmark in Copenhagen on September 5 and then Spain in Geneva three days later, for its first Nations League match. Coach Murat Yakin, who has to deal with the international retirements of Xherdan Shaqiri, Yann Sommer and Fabian Schär, presented his selection this Thursday at a press conference.
Bernese Gregory Wüthrich is being called up for the first time. A regular for four years at Sturm Graz, the 29-year-old central defender ended RB Salzburg’s long domination of the Austrian championship with his club last season. In addition, six players are returning to the national jersey: Becir Omeragic, Filip Ugrinic, Joël Monteiro, Uran Bislimi, Jonas Omlin and Dominik Schmid, who is being selected for the second time after March 2023. “Our team is still in a state of flux,” said Murat Yakin. “This autumn, we will therefore be introducing new players.”
The Nati will play in a very tough group for this next Nations League. They will meet Spain, recent European champion, Denmark and Serbia. “Our goal is to stay in League A,” Yakin stressed. This competition is on the path that should allow the Nati, partly rejuvenated, to grow in view of the 2026 World Cup. “We have the opportunity to build confidence before qualifying for the World Cup by obtaining positive results this fall,” said the coach.
The winner and the runner-up of the group will qualify for the quarter-finals, allowing them to reach the Nations League final four in June 2025. The third-placed team will have to go through a play-off to keep its place in League A. The fourth-placed team will be relegated to League B.
