A promising return to reality for Switzerland

The Swiss have put their World Cup heartbreak against Argentina behind them by making a perfect start to their UEFA Nations League B campaign.

Two matches, two wins, no goals conceded. Switzerland have carried their FIFA World Cup 2026™ momentum into the UEFA Nations League, making a flawless start to their campaign.

They breezed to a 3-0 win in North Macedonia in their opening match, and followed that up by brushing Scotland aside by the same scoreline in Glasgow.

Up against arguably their toughest opponents in League B, Group 1, Murat Yakin’s side sent out a clear signal that they intended to pick up exactly where they left off in North America, where a dramatic quarter-final against Argentina represented the end of the road.

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How does a team cope with the shift from a successful run in a major tournament to the day-to-day reality of international football? It would appear that the Swiss have used it as motivation, with captain Manuel Akanji speaking confidently about the team’s current form.

“We’re certainly not short of creativity at the moment," he said. "We’re making enough chances and have plenty of players up front who can take on defenders one-on-one.”

Nico Elvedi, meanwhile, was keen to point out the team’s progress, saying: “We always used to struggle when the opposition sat deep.” The kind of struggle was barely evident against North Macedonia and Scotland.

The players selected for those matches also offered a clear indication of the team’s trajectory. With Granit Xhaka absent, Ardon Jashari was given the nod in the centre of the park, and the AC Milan man was at pains to point out that he does not want to be a carbon copy of Switzerland’s record appearance-maker, but is rather looking to bring his own qualities to the team.

Perhaps that is yet another sign that the next changing of the guard began some time ago, without the current run of success suffering as a result. Debutant Zachary Athekame also slotted in seamlessly in both matches.

The Nations League matches also represent the first steps on the long road to the next World Cup in 2030. It is a journey that the Swiss hope will also take them to the 2028 European Championship, as they aim to continue – and even better – their impressive recent results on the biggest stages..

The Nati have reached the quarter-finals in each of their last three major tournaments, sensationally seeing off France in EURO 2020 before slipping to a narrow defeat at the hands of Spain, losing a dramatic penalty shoot-out against England at EURO 2024, and of course that unforgettable World Cup quarter-final against Argentina in North America. Consistency has become one of the team’s watchwords.

So how much optimism is justified? The starting point speaks for itself: this is a team that has consistently delivered, and it is now bolstered by up-and-coming talents who are already proving their worth in the national team jersey.

Yakin’s men now need to build on their form at home against Slovenia and North Macedonia. “After the World Cup and these two away matches, we’re looking forward to playing in front of our own fans," he said. "We’ll take this momentum and confidence with us into those games."