Switzerland vs Colombia. Round of 16. Vancouver. 52,497 fans, about 50,000 of whom are expected to be dressed in yellow. A nil-nil deadlock after 120 minutes. Switzerland won 4-3 on penaltiesReached the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 1954. The road to Colombia is over.
There is little to take away from the match itself. So instead, reference.
Before the caravan arrived in Canada, 21 goals had been scored in the previous seven rounds of 16 matches, three a game. The action took place in Azteca, where England beat Mexico 3-2. An appearance in Seattle, where Belgium held off four past co-hosts USA, followed that up Donald Trump YMCA shimmy. How can we not mention Cristiano Ronaldo’s agony in Arlington or Erling Haaland’s joy in East Rutherford? The world, in fact, wanted to recover from the adrenaline rush of Atalanta, yet every second of Argentina’s victory over Egypt was debated.
Also read | FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Finals Schedule: Qualifying Teams, Match Dates
The two teams met in the last 16 tie which was not held at the FIFA headquarters, which happened to be in Switzerland. They met in Vancouver as they topped their respective groups, defeating 32 opponents in their respective rounds. Met as they earned.
It is in this setting that we arrive at Vancouver. Two of the most stubborn defenses in the competition came in and conceded just four goals between them in nearly 1,000 minutes of football. One every four hours.
Switzerland’s Ruben Vargas (17) reacts after scoring the winning penalty shot. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Columbia shoots everywhere, but they mainly shoot blanks. In their last five games, including this one, they have scored just twice on 79 shots. Success rate 2.5%.
Story continues below this ad
The effort deserves credit, as there wasn’t much from the Swiss team. Murat Yakin is dressed as a sniper hired to take down James Bond, but his team is eager to pull the trigger. Their last try came in the 32nd minute. Neither side scored a single try in the final thirty minutes. It was as if a truce had been signed. Expected 0.7 goals in regulation time, the lowest figure in this World Cup.
Journalists holding passports of any country had their fate and fandom sealed. Those sitting on the neutral side introspectively whispered: “Does my boss secretly hate me?”
The match has broken away from the standards set by this World Cup for long matches. The early 90s did not create opportunities that could be classified as blue-chip. Extra time was done though. If John Lukumi’s header hadn’t hit the crossbar, or Granit Xhaka’s chance had not been skied by Jaminton Campaz, Colombia would have set up a quarter-final against fellow South Americans in Argentina. Instead, they will take flights to Bogotá.
Also read | Egypt’s coach has accused FIFA of favoritism against Argentina after their World Cup Round of 16 defeat
Story continues below this ad
Switzerland would not, thanks to Gregor Kobel’s superb save to deny Cucho Hernandez in the penalty shootout and Davinson Sanchez’s effort two inches higher. For Köbel, it was an important moment, and a continuation of the legacy left by predecessor Jan Sommer.
The game may be uneventful in isolation, but this particular matchup has a deeper historical context, one that transcends the game as a whole. The Rossocrociati have not reached the quarter-finals in five decades, but they have come the most agonizingly close before, in 1994, another World Cup in North America.
Roy Hodgson’s Swiss side had already sealed their place in the knockout stages when Andres Escobar’s Colombia beat them 2-0 in a dead-rubber final group match that had already been eliminated. This victory came too late. Colombia’s fate was sealed nine days earlier when Escobar scored in a 2-1 loss against the United States. Switzerland lost 3-0 to Spain in the round of 16.
Six pills. Witnesses said the gunman yelled “Goal!” After each shot.
Story continues below this ad
The news of his death was broadcast over the public announcement system moments before Switzerland’s own match against Spain. A minute’s silence was observed. Hodgson’s team barely recovered from the shock: a colleague with whom they would have exchanged cheers only a few days ago was gone. Then there was a resounding defeat. Goalkeeper Marco Pascolo would later admit that news of Escobar’s death affected the team.
After that tournament, Swiss football faded into obscurity. Then ranked 11th in the world, he dropped to 83rd in four years and disappeared from the World Cup for 12 years. Then, a slow climb. And now, finally, the quarterfinals. The game was amazing. Switzerland’s success is anything but.