Switzerland celebrated a historic victory with its win over Colombia (4-3 on penalty kicks) in the World Cup Round of 16. This success was owed in particular to goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who remained the center of attention afterward.
“You can’t praise it highly enough—what it means for such a small country to be among the top eight in such a major sport,” said Gregor Kobel after the match against Colombia, which wasn’t necessarily top-tier but was all the more dramatic for it. “It’s indescribable; it’s an incredible feeling that fills you with so much pride,” the 28-year-old continued.
For Switzerland, it was the crowning achievement after a match that had been on a knife’s edge for a long time and in which both sides had had chances to win. “It wasn’t an easy game; they’re a tough opponent—they play very physically, with a lot of fouls. And even though we’ve played here before, it felt like an away game,” Kobel explained.
Kobel: “I Didn’t Have That Many Ups and Downs”
Not least, his composure helped him when things got particularly heated during the penalty shootout, he said. “I have to say, I was pretty much in the moment and didn’t have that many ups and downs,” said the Dortmund goalkeeper. The only exception was his strong—and ultimately decisive—save against Cucho Hernandez: “That was a huge moment when I stopped the penalty kick. Seeing how happy the guys were—you can’t get those emotions anywhere else.”
Overall, though, Kobel had been very confident during the penalty shootout—partly because he knew his own strengths. “I had great confidence in the guys, in their ability to take penalties, but also in my own abilities, of course.” Kobel therefore received high praise from his teammates as well—including from Dan Ndoye: “It’s generally not easy to score against him. But in a penalty shootout, it’s even harder because he doesn’t give you much space. We’re really glad to have him on our side.”
Akanji self-critical: “My penalty kick was disastrous”
Manuel Akanji, who was the sixth shooter overall and sent his shot over the goal, offered a slightly more mixed assessment. “My penalty kick was disastrous. I changed my mind at the last moment. I actually wanted to shoot high to the left, but then I saw him dive that way three times—including the third time I took my shot. So I decided to aim for the center instead. But as you know with penalty shootouts, that doesn’t work,” said the defender, adding: “I think that was my last penalty kick.”
With that statement, Akanji also alluded to the fact that he’d already had a bad experience in a penalty shootout at the 2024 European Championship. Back then, he was the first Swiss shooter to miss against England—and ultimately the only one to do so, which had meant the end of the Swiss team’s run. In Vancouver, however, Akanji was able to smile in the end despite everything and even dream a little: “It’s still too early to talk about the World Cup title. But it’s not far off.”