Switzerland

🌍 World Cup Story

Switzerland have appeared at 12 World Cups and are the definition of tournament resilience. They co-hosted in 1954, reaching the quarterfinals. Their modern golden era began in the 2000s — qualifying for every tournament since 2006 and consistently reaching the knockout rounds. In 2010 they stunned Spain (eventual champions) in the group stage. In 2022 they eliminated France in the round of 16 on penalties. At Euro 2024 they knocked out the holders Italy before falling to England in the quarterfinals. Their squad, built around Granit Xhaka's leadership and Manuel Akanji's defensive excellence, punches well above Switzerland's size.