“DIVE LEFT.”
This was the note on England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s water bottle as he got ready to face Manuel Akanji for Switzerland’s first penalty kick at the European Championship.
Pickford dived left and saved the penalty.
All eyes were on Akanji.
This moment brought joy for England and heartbreak for Akanji, whose miss was the only failure in the shootout, costing Switzerland another chance to reach the semifinals of a major tournament for the first time.
Following Switzerland’s 5-3 loss in the shootout, a despondent Akanji was comforted by his Manchester City teammates, John Stones and Phil Foden.
“No words of solace can help him,” said Switzerland coach Murat Yakin. “Deep emptiness, deep sadness.”
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Switzerland midfielder Remo Freuler and goalkeeper Yann Sommer were both in tears.
The most talented Switzerland team in a generation, maybe ever, had history within their grasp.
Leading 1-0 after Breel Embolo’s 75th-minute tap-in, the Swiss were just 10 minutes away from beating England in regulation time and surpassing the quarterfinal barrier that had eluded them since the 1954 World Cup and the Euros in 2021.
Then, with England’s first shot on target, Bukayo Saka curled a low shot past multiple defenders and into the bottom corner.
“That was their only chance,” Yakin said. “Unfortunately, one moment led to us conceding a goal.”
The match went to a penalty shootout — or “a question of luck,” as Yakin called it — which Switzerland managed well except for Akanji’s miss.
Three years ago at the Euros, Switzerland had scored all five of their penalties to eliminate Kylian Mbappé and France in the last 16, only to lose to Spain in the quarterfinals after misses by Akanji, Fabian Schar, and Ruben Vargas.
This year’s squad felt different, with leaders like Akanji and Granit Xhaka of Bayer Leverkusen, who are not accustomed to losing. Sommer, now a Serie A champion with Inter Milan and previously a Bundesliga champion with Bayern Munich, added to the team’s strength. Schar, a regular at Newcastle, and Embolo, a dangerous forward after regaining his fitness, were also key players.
“It’s hard to accept because I think we deserved to reach the semifinal with this team,” said Switzerland forward Dan Ndoye. “We had the quality to go further. Losing on penalties is cruel.”
Switzerland, a nation more associated with winter sports, wasn’t expected to compete with England deep in a major tournament, Yakin said.
“Even in this game, some said we were the favorites, but we will never be the favorites,” he said. “At times, we may look like one, but the market value of other teams compared to us is massive.”
However, Switzerland’s defense, expertly led by Akanji, handled England’s star-studded attack featuring Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Phil Foden surprisingly well, and Yakin’s team had the better of both the second half and extra time.
This was despite Xhaka, Switzerland’s midfield general, being hampered by a leg injury that nearly kept him out of the game.
“It was a miracle he could even play,” Yakin said.
“Unfortunately, my contract has now ended, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be a continuation,” Yakin said. “My priority is the national team. There have been no discussions or offers from clubs.”