Granit Xhaka has responded emphatically to claims of a “toxic” atmosphere within the Switzerland squad, delivering a goal, a provocative celebration, and a captain’s performance on the World Cup stage—while insisting that “what counts is what happens on the pitch.”
The Sunderland midfielder scored from the penalty spot in the 97th minute of Switzerland’s 4-1 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday night.
His celebration was just as telling: Xhaka raised his hand and mimicked a talking motion—a clear retort to those who had criticized his recent public comments.
The backlash stemmed from Switzerland’s earlier 1-1 draw with Qatar, in which they conceded a stoppage-time equalizer. Xhaka, captaining his country, had openly called for a stronger reaction from his teammates—a move that reportedly did not sit well with some within the camp.
German outlet BILD went as far as to claim that his remarks had contributed to a “toxic” and “negative” environment, particularly after he had similarly spoken out following a warm-up draw against Australia.
Despite the off-field noise, Xhaka retained his place in Murat Yakin’s starting lineup against Bosnia and played the full 90 minutes. Switzerland responded with the kind of cohesive, determined display their captain had demanded.
Speaking after the match, Xhaka reflected on the performance and addressed the criticism head-on. “If praise is due, I’ll give it. If it’s bad, I’ll criticise it too,” he said. “Today we saw a strong Switzerland. We were a unit, with and without the ball. We made dirty runs and won important challenges. We played a very good game for 90 minutes.
We knew we had to perform as a unit. Yes, we have individual quality, but today those who came off the bench made the difference. We need every single player, and we had to be mentally prepared even if you weren’t starting.”
He also pushed back against the narrative surrounding his leadership style. “People know who I am,” Xhaka added. “There are certain people who can’t handle criticism. I criticise myself before I criticise anyone else.
It always comes across differently when I say something, but I don’t know any other way. Switzerland can be proud to have a player with 148 caps, playing with pride for the nation. Maybe I do provoke a bit—but what matters to me is that the team is behind me.”
He dismissed the external chatter, reiterating his focus on performance. “We have to perform together; everything else has never interested me. What counts is what happens on the pitch. It’s not always easy—I’d be lying if I said everything was fine. It hurts because there are things I don’t understand.
A lot has been written. There was a big article the day before yesterday that didn’t go unnoticed. But for me, what matters is what I can influence on the pitch—I can’t control anything else.
I don’t get the feeling that even one per cent of the squad isn’t behind me. I am here for success, and I will continue to pursue it as long as I am here.”
