World Cup quarterfinalist Switzerland picks in-form Sion forward Boteli in Nations League squad
Sunderland's Granit Xhaka, left, and Arsenal's Declan Rice challenge for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Sunderland and Arsenal in Sunderland, England, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. Credit: AP/Ian Hodgson
BERN, Switzerland — World Cup quarterfinalist Switzerland rewarded 20-year-old Sion forward Winsley Boteli with a first international call-up Thursday after a fast start to the season that reportedly made him a transfer target for Champions League teams Galatasaray and Porto.
Boteli scored a hat trick last month against Ajax in the Conference League qualifying playoffs in his tally of 12 goals from 14 games so far.
The Swiss youth international publicly declared commitment to the national team last week after being courted by the soccer federation of Congo, which reached the World Cup round of 32 and where he has family ties.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin also picked 20-year-old Parma defender Sascha Britschgi for the first time in a 25-man squad for Nations League games against Scotland, Slovenia and North Macedonia.
Captain Granit Xhaka returns after an impressive World Cup to extend his national record of 152 appearances. The Sunderland midfielder turns 34 the day after Switzerland opens its Nations League second-tier group at North Macedonia on Sept. 26.
Breel Embolo, who was incorrectly sent off in the World Cup quarterfinal loss to Argentina, was selected after his move to Atlanta United in Major League Soccer.
A third uncapped player, 21-year-old center back Zachary Athekame, is back in the squad while playing on loan from AC Milan at Lyon.
Sion's Ilyas Chouaref, second right, celebrates scoring with teammates Franck Surdez and Winsley Boteli, right, during the Conference League play-off round soccer match between FC Sion and AFC Ajax in Sion, Switzerland, Thursday Aug. 20, 2026. Credit: AP/Laurent Gillieron
Geneva five in Switzerland's 25
Athekame and Boteli join World Cup breakout star Johan Manzambi, Denis Zakaria and Zeki Amdouni as squad members who were once in the youth system at Servette yet combined to play just six games for the Geneva club. Zakaria, now the Monaco captain, played all six of those games in the Swiss second tier in 2014-15.
Later Thursday, the 20-year-old Manzambi posted a photo on his Instagram account of himself with Athekame, who is 10 months older, when they were boys.
Switzerland plays at Scotland on Sept. 29 then hosts Slovenia and North Macedonia for back-to-back home games in Lucerne.
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