Euro 2020: Swiss Ambassador to Ghana reacts to country’s progression to quarter-final

Fans and lovers of the sport were served two great matches, as Spain defeated Croatia 5-3 after extra time and Switzerland also beat world champions France 5-4 on penalties following a pulsating 3-3 draw in the last-16 of Euro 2020.

As the Swiss national team was making history at the Arena Nationala in Bucharest, Romania, several Nati fans in Bern went into overdrive.

Meanwhile, thousands of kilometres across the Atlantic Ocean, and precisely in Ghana’s capital Accra, there were a few Swiss fans also cheering on Xherdan Shaqiri and Co.

Chief among them was Philipp Stalder, Switzerland’s Ambassador to Ghana, Benin and Togo, who hosted a few people to watch the game together at the Swiss Embassy in Accra.

Football is a game that ignites emotions and you could sense the nail-biting, anxiety and disappointment among the Swiss fans when their team was down with 10 minutes to go.

Having taken the lead through Haris Seferovic, Ricardo Rodriguez’s penalty miss in the second half shifted momentum onto the side of France, who came from behind to lead 3-1 thanks to a double from Karim Benzema and a beautiful strike from Paul Pogba.

However, Vladimir Petkovic’s side refused to give up and clawed their way back from the dead. Firstly, Haris Seferovic reduced the deficit to 3-2 in the 81st minute before Mario Gavranovic headed in the crucial equaliser in the dying embers of the game.

There was still time for more drama, as Switzerland triumphed 5-4 on penalties, following a costly miss by Kylian Mbappe.

The pandemonium that engulfed the Swiss Embassy in Ghana couldn’t be quantified as Switzerland booked their place in the quarter-final of Euro 2020.

“After the game against Italy, my expectations were very low. Swiss media was very critical and disappointed with the team as well,” Ambassador Stalder said.

“The happier I am now - after this great victory against the current football world champion France.

“This was the biggest and most important victory in the history of Swiss football, in my view, and the first qualification for a Swiss team to quarter-finals at a European or world cup since 1956.”

This great feat by the Swiss national team, however, brought back memories of his late father, who he wished was alive to witness such a great moment in the country’s football history.

Mr. Stalder was also impressed by the character and fight shown by the team even when they seemed down and out.

“My father was a big football fan and we used to watch a lot of games together - how much would I have wished for him and for me to witness this great victory of the Swiss national team together,” the Ambassador disclosed.

“France has great individual players, no doubt, but what distinguished the Swiss team was the team spirit and the fighting mode. “Fighting as a team you can overcome any odds”- we can all take away something for ourselves from this; it was a truly inspiring performance.

“The way the Swiss team never gave up, scored twice within the last 12 minutes of the regular playing time, and especially how we overcame the Swiss penalty curse, impressed me the most.”

Switzerland’s win over France means they’ve now set up a quarter-final clash against former world and European champions Spain.

While this is another tough fixture that will test the Nati’s resolve, Mr. Stalder believes another miraculous victory could be in the offing.

“Normally football miracles don’t repeat twice, but with such a good team spirit like we witnessed from the brave Swiss, everything is possible in football – also against an outstanding team like Spain,” he added.

The Swiss national team are now dark horses in the tournament but if they can defeat France who were pre-tournament favourites, then who’s to say they couldn’t repeat it against Spain?