Calf injury sidelines Granit Xhaka for Nations League games

A calf muscle injury suffered by Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka in the warm‑up on Sunday has forced him to miss the next two Nations League games, the Swiss federation announced in BERN on Monday.

The problem arose during Sunderland’s Premier League clash with Chelsea, where the 34‑year‑old started, lasted just two minutes and was substituted as Sunderland earned a 1‑0 win that lifted them out of last place. The incident was captured in a photograph by Abbie Parr.

World Cup shoot‑out heroics

Earlier in the tournament, Xhaka celebrated after converting his spot‑kick in the shoot‑out that saw Switzerland defeat Colombia in the World Cup round of 16 in Vancouver, British Columbia on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.

The 152‑cap Swiss veteran has not added to his tally since that World Cup, and he captained the side in a controversial 3‑1 extra‑time loss to Argentina in the quarter‑finals.

Xhaka also missed four Nations League matches during the last international break after being prosecuted for using a fake COVID‑19 vaccine document in 2022; he admitted the charge and received two years’ probation with a suspended fine.

Implications for Nations League campaign

Switzerland now sit top of their Nations League second‑tier group and will face Slovenia away on Friday before hosting Scotland three days later.

Injuries to Sevilla winger Ruben Vargas and Hamburg defender Miro Muheim also forced them out of coach Murat Yakin’s squad, the federation confirmed.

Defender Roggerio Nyakossi earned his first call‑up, becoming the sixth Geneva‑born Servette academy graduate in the squad, joining Denis Zakaria, Johan Manzambi, Zeki Amdouni, Zachary Athekame and Winsley Boteli, who together played only eleven games for Servette before leaving as teenagers.

The 22‑year‑old was sold to Marseille in 2022 and now plies his trade in Belgium for Leuven.