Everywhere Granit Xhaka has played, as captain at Arsenal and for Xabi Alonso’s domestically perfect Bayer Leverkusener this season, he has been a talismanic figure in midfield.
But he exposed one of his most heroic deeds on a football pitch following Switzerland’s drаmаtic penalty shootout loss to England.
Following the game, the Swiss captain acknowledged that he had been playing the whole 120 minutes with a strained abductor muscle in his left thigh, which prevented him from making long passes and even a shot towards Jordan Pickford’s goal.
Monday’s diagnosis was a torn muscle fibre in my adductors. I wаnted to be there for the squad nevertheless, and bit my teeth. During the game, I couldn’t adequately shoot at the goal or strike long balls. Except otherwise, though, it was great.
“I went beyond my constraints again today,” he said.
The 31-year-old former Arsenal captain enjoyed a successful year at Bayer Leverkusen, winning both the Bundesliga and German cup on an incredible unbeaten run under head coach Xabi Alonso.
But despite Switzerland taking the lead in the 75th minute through Breel Embolo, England secured a semi-final spot after Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji missed the crucial penalty with Xhaka not taking a spot-kιck likely due to his ιnjury.
Xhaka insisted he was proud of his team and Akanji despite the penalty miss and that Switzerland would have had the quality to compete in the semi-finals.
‘Someone has to get caught in the penalty shootout. I’ve been in that position myself. That only makes him [Akanji] stronger. Chin up! I’m proud of this boy.
‘It is difficult to find the right words now. I don’t think you can sаy anything bad about anyone in the team or the staff. It doesn’t matter whether it was fair or unfair. Everyone gave their all and we can be proud. We didn’t have luck on our side in the penalty shootout.
‘We have to accept it. Of course it hurts to lose like that. It’s brutal. We would have had the quality for the semi-finals.’
