Granit Xhaka (foto: Getty Images)
Granit Xhaka recalls Switzerland’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Serbia at the 2018 World Cup, calling it the most emotional match of his career.
Granit Xhaka, the Swiss international and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder, has described Switzerland’s 3-2 victory over Serbia at the 2018 World Cup as the most emotional match of his career.
The game, which saw Switzerland come from behind to win in the group stage, was played under high tension, particularly due to the presence of Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, both of whom have Kosovan-Albanian heritage. Shaqiri scored the winning goal, but it was Xhaka’s equalizer that sparked intense celebrations.
"The match against Serbia in Russia was the most exciting and emotional of my career," said Xhaka.
Other career-defining moments
Xhaka also reflected on Switzerland’s dramatic Euro 2020 victory over France, where the Swiss eliminated the reigning world champions after a thrilling penalty shootout.
"When you knock out the world champions, you realize you are capable of achieving great things. Unfortunately, success did not follow in the later challenges."
With 135 international caps, Xhaka is the most-capped player in Swiss history, a milestone he considers a tremendous honor.
"Playing over 100 games for my country is an incredible achievement, but simply being part of the national team is already a great honor."