Read for 5 minutesNew Delhi7 Jul 2026 06:03 PM IST
By Madhav Sachdeva
Originally aspiring to be a goalkeeper, young Swiss star Johann Manzambi wanted to stop goals rather than score them. As a boy playing on the pitches of Geneva, he spent hours imitating Manuel Neuer’s famous “sweeper-keeper” style, racing through his line to clear the ball with his feet. This drill laid the foundation for his future, as he developed his composure on the ball by playing outside the goal, developed a different sense of the game and changed his playing identity.
Travel early
Manzambi was born in Geneva, Switzerland to an Angolan mother who was a victim of political persecution and a father who fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo during a period of intense internal conflict at the turn of the century. His early years were dedicated to the sport, as his father introduced him to the ball when he was just four years old, hoping that his son would be able to realize the dream of football that he never could. His older brother, Neftali, paved the way for him as a forward, climbing through the ranks of FC Basel’s youth academy and playing for clubs such as Sporting Gijon, Winterthur and Lyon La Duchère.
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The decision was made by Manzambi’s father and brother to switch him from goalkeeping to an outfield position, noting his technical ability and quick pace, and realizing that his potential would be wasted sitting in the penalty box.
Even when he was part of Servette FC’s youth academy, his coaches played him as a box-to-box midfielder due to his high work rate. However, he suffered from a late surge, struggling to cope with fast-paced play and physical combat. His real development came at SC Freiburg, where his coaches noticed his ability to take on defenders and started playing him in a more attacking position.
Professional overview
After being signed by SC Freiburg in 2023, Manzambi spent his first season on the bench for Freiburg’s reserve team, registering just 240 minutes throughout the season as the reserve team finished last and was relegated. He was given his first start and made his Bundesliga debut in September 2024 against FC Heidenheim. He sealed his place for the foreseeable future in April 2025 when he scored a dramatic late winner against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
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Johann Manzambi (9) of Switzerland scores his second goal during the World Cup Group B soccer match between Switzerland and Canada on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Canadian Press via Ethan Cairns/AP)
During the 2025/26 season, Manzambi not only enjoyed the best season of his career to date, but also won the Europa League Young Player of the Season after playing a key role in Freiburg’s run to the final. He made 47 appearances in all competitions, scoring 16 goals.
Growing up in Switzerland, he idolized Xherdan Shaqiri, closely studying his movement, ball possession and explosive shooting power. Switzerland coach Murat Yakin has often experimented with playing Manzambi outside because of the lack of depth in the wings. Fans in Switzerland have started calling him Shaqiri’s defensive-minded heir apparent due to his technical ability and his special knack for powerful long-range volleys.
world stage
At this World Cup, Manzambi made a brief cameo in a 1-1 draw against Qatar before announcing himself on the world stage against Bosnia and Herzegovina and scoring a superb brace in a 4-1 win for the Swiss. After his impressive performance, he admitted to reporters that the intense shock of his performance had disturbed his sleep: “Honestly, it’s unbelievable. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight.” With Canada and Switzerland battling for top spot on the final day of the group stage, Yakin started and he repaid his manager with a goal and an assist.
Manzambi’s performance in this World Cup has catapulted him into a different stratosphere of fame. He added to his stock with a scintillating, jaw-dropping run down the left flank against Algeria in the Round of 32. His skill left veteran Algerian defender Aissa Mandi completely frozen and set up Briel Mbolo in Switzerland’s 2-0 win. The clip immediately went viral on social media, with pundits labeling him as a possible front-runner for the tournament’s best young player award.
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The 20-year-old is producing statistically the best Under-21 World Cup campaign in modern history. With three goals and two assists in just four games, he became the youngest player over the age of 60 to contribute five goals in a single World Cup, at exactly 20 years and 261 days.
With his manager’s immense faith in him, Manzambi hopes to take his country further in the competition. Switzerland’s next match is a Round of 16 match against Colombia on July 8 in Vancouver.
Madhav Sachdeva is an intern at Online Sports Desk