Granit Xhaka admits fake vaccine certificate in Nations League break

Amid the Nations League break, the Swiss captain sparked controversy when he posted on Instagram, effectively conceding that he had bought a forged vaccination certificate – a revelation that has dominated the Länderspielpause Seid discussion across social media and put the national team under intense scrutiny.

Xhaka's vaccine certificate scandal

The 34‑year‑old midfielder was accused of purchasing forged vaccination documents. A spokesperson initially rejected the allegation, but Xhaka used his Instagram account a few days later to acknowledge the wrongdoing. He wrote that he had acted out of personal pressure and would accept any consequences.

During the Nations League pause, Xhaka remained at his club AFC Sunderland, where he trains with the English side. As captain of the Swiss national team, known as the Nati, his absence from the squad raised eyebrows.

Former Gladbacher forward Breel Embolo also resurfaced in the controversy. A Swiss court sentenced him in 2025 for incitement to document forgery after investigators traced a 2021 chat with a Hells Angels contact who supplied a fake certificate. The case revived memories of his illegal party escape during the pandemic.

Both Xhaka and Embolo have issued public apologies and are expected to be called up for the upcoming international break. Their statements suggest they intend to rejoin the Nati squad.

Xhaka fined for Covid-19 vaccine fraud as Swiss captain

Wider football fallout during the break

The break also saw Manchester City hit with more than one hundred Premier League charges, accused of using sham contracts to conceal spending in a multi‑million fraud. Former coach Roberto Mancini, now Italy’s national manager, revealed he received a dual salary of two million euros as City manager and a similar amount for advisory work with an Abu Dhabi club. United supporters responded by unfurling a banner that read ‘Welcome to Shamchester’.

In an unexpected twist, UEFA deployed a trained dog to inspect the pitch during the Nations League match between North Macedonia and Scotland. The animal entered the field in the tenth minute, prompting a brief stoppage while players tried to guide it away. Scotland eventually won 2‑0, leaving the canine experiment without a lasting legacy.

Cristiano Ronaldo attracted more headlines than his entire previous season at Al‑Nassr during the same pause. After Portugal coach Jorge Jesus left him out of the line‑up against Norway, Ronaldo stormed off to his private jet and later posted a lengthy statement, attaching a prepared apology from the coach. He said, “It was a mistake of mine, to warm up a player of the stature of Pelé or Maradona and then not use him. Today I would not do that again.”

Lionel Scaloni paid tribute to Lionel Messi after the Argentine legend’s 3‑0 victory over Benin, which featured his 126th international goal. The farewell was highlighted by a drone light show that formed the national emblem, and Scaloni remarked, “There will never be another like him.” Wir lassen das mal so stehen.