Xhaka tells Swiss fans to ‘keep dreaming’ ahead of Argentina World Cup clash

Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has called on his nation's fans to maintain their aspirations ahead of a challenging World Cup quarter-final clash against Lionel Messi's Argentina. Xhaka, speaking to reporters, encouraged supporters to "keep dreaming" while underscoring the immense effort required to turn those dreams into reality.

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Regarding the fans, keep dreaming. I am a person who always dreams and dreams can come true.

"I am a person who always dreams and dreams can come true," Xhaka stated. "And if we want to fulfil our dreams, you need to work, you need to sweat, you need to give it 100 percent. And sometimes you need to do something new. You really need to push your limits if you want to beat Argentina."

Switzerland's coach, Murat Yakin, acknowledged the formidable task of facing the tournament's joint-top scorer, Messi. However, he conveyed confidence in his team's tactical preparations, stating they have "many solutions" to neutralize the threat posed by the Argentinean superstar. Yakin stressed the importance of collective effort and execution on the pitch.

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And if we want to fulfil our dreams, you need to work, you need to sweat, you need to give it 100 percent. And sometimes you need to do something new. You really need to push your limits if you want to beat Argentina.

"Tomorrow, on the pitch, we will perform as a unit," Yakin said. "We will try to play passes, press high against Argentina, who are the reigning champions. Obviously, we will try to do the work on the pitch. We can talk a lot, but in the end, it has to really translate on the pitch. And we do have our solutions."

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Tomorrow, on the pitch, we will perform as a unit. We will try to play passes, press high against Argentina, who are the reigning champions.

Xhaka admitted that completely shutting down Messi for the entire 90 minutes would be a monumental challenge. He emphasized the need for his team to be "smart," compact, and disciplined in their defensive shape, aiming to deny him space. Coach Yakin also confirmed that midfielder Johan Manzambi will miss the match due to injury.

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I don’t know if we can stop him over 90 minutes. It is going to be difficult. However, we have to be very smart. We’ll have to be compact, close the gaps, not give him too many spaces.