Despite having to contend with the playoffs, the Swiss were excellent in qualifying and come here fancying their chances
SWITZERLAND might have only qualified through the playoffs - but they are set to be a real force at Russia 2018.
Packed full of young attacking talent and experienced pros, the Swiss will be seeking a first quarter-final since 1954.
Here's all you need to know about the Group E challengers.
In a nutshell: The landlocked neutral nation that’s flying high in the FIFA rankings.
They tied with Portugal at the top of Group B in qualifying but lost out on an automatic place on goal difference, leaving them to beat Northern Ireland in a play-off.
Flag: Did you know that alongside that of the Vatican City, the Swiss flag is the only other sovereign-state flag that is square.
It’s a red background with a white cross inset in the middle.
Population: 8.37 million
Nickname: As a country with three offical languages (and four if you included Romansh) they can be known as Schweizer Nati (in German), La Nati (French) and the Squadra nazionale (Italian).
Manager: Former Lazio boss Vladimir Petkovic.
QUALIFYING RESULTS
Group Stage
06/09/16 Portugal H 2-0
07/10/16 Hungary A 3-2
10/10/16 Andorra A 2-1
13/11/16 Faroe Islands H 2-0
25/03/17 Latvia H 1-0
09/06/17 Faroe Islands A 2-0
31/08/17 Andorra H 3-0
03/09/17 Latvia A 3-0
07/10/17 Hungary H 5-2
10/10/17 Portugal A 0-2
Play-Offs
09/11/17 Northern Ireland A 1-0
12/11/17 Northern Ireland H 0-0
TOP SCORERS
4 Haris Seferovic
3 Ricardo Rodriguez
3 Stefan Lichsteiner
MOST APPEARANCES
12 Haris Seferovic
11 Yann Sommer
11 Fabian Schar
Captain: Juventus’ vastly-experienced full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner.
Star Man: Xherdan Shaqiri.
The Alpine Messi showed glimpses of his undoubted talent at the last World Cup in Brazil and he still has the potential to turn a game in an instant. Huge thighs too.
Rising star: Schalke striker Breel Embolo has long been tipped for greatness.
Will this be the moment he finally comes of age?
Most caps: Former Grasshoppers, Neuchatel Xamax and FC Basel midfielder Heinz Herman, a player who should have 57 caps but actually has a record 118.
All-time top scorer: Alexander Frei (42).
Nice kit? Interesting.
It’s red, as you’d expect, but it feature a subtle pattern designed to reflect the country’s mountainour terrain. It’s super skin tight too so Xherdan Shaqiri might want to take a bigger size or two.
Most offensive haircut? It’s high time someone took Valon Behrami to one side and had a word (in one or more of the four languges spoken in Switzerland).
It looks like an explosion in a dairy.
Any names we can laugh at like kids? Djibril Sow is nailed-on to make a pig’s ear of it if selected.
Rivals? Given their well-known neutral stance, Switzerland don’t really have a main rival as such, although any of the games against the nations that circle it (Austria, Germany, Italy, Liechenstein and France) always have a little extra edge. OK, maybe not the Liechenstein one.
National anthem: The Swiss Psalm.
It replaced Rufst du, mein Vaterland which, incidentally, was set to the tune of God Save The Queen.
Sample lyric:
When the Alps glow bright with splendour,
Pray, free Swiss, Pray,
For you feel and understand,
For you feel and understand,
That he dwelleth in this land,
That he dwelleth in this land.
National dish: Anyone for fondue?
National drink: And wash it down with some Kirsch? Maybe not…
World Cup Finals Record: P33 W11 D6 L16 F45 A59
World Cup Win Ratio: 33.33%
Best World Cup performance: Quarter-finalists in 1934, 1938 and 1954.
FIFA World Ranking: 8
Path to final: Switzerland can normally counted on to make it through to the last 16 and then get knocked out without making a massive impact.
A potential second round with Germany is likely to ensure the same outcome this time around.
Should they make it into the quarter-finals, they could end up facing any one of England, Poland, Colombia, Senegal, Belgium and more.
A semi-final with Spain or Argentina would then be on the cards.
Goalkeepers: Roman Buerki (Borussia Dortmund), Yvon Mvogo (Leipzig), Yann Sommer (Borussia Monchengladbach).
Defenders: Manuel Akanji (Borussia Dortmund), Johan Djourou (Antalyaspor), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Monchengladbach), Michael Lang (Basel), Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus), Jacques-Francois Moubandje (Toulouse), Ricardo Rodriguez (Milan), Fabian Schaer (Deportivo La Coruna).
Midfielders: Valon Behrami (Udinese), Blerim Dzemaili (Bologna), Gelson Fernandes (Eintracht Frankfurt), Remo Freuler (Atalanta), Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City), Granit Xhaka (Arsenal), Steven Zuber (1899 Hoffenheim), Denis Zakaria (Borussia Monchengladbach).
Forwards: Josip Drmic (Borussia Monchengladbach), Breel Embolo (Schalke), Mario Gavranovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Haris Seferovic (Benfica).
