Euro 2020: It’s unbelievable, we played with heart and character, says Switzerland hero Yan Sommer

Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer, who returned to Germany after the team’s 3-0 loss to Italy at the birth of his daughter on 16 June, saved the deciding penalty to give his team a 5-4 penalty shootout win at the World Cup . Champion France on Monday. The match was over 3-3.

Sommer dives to his right to save the final penalty by Kylian Mbappe.

“What a football evening,” said Somer. “It was our chance to finally go through the round of 16, because we had never made it before. It’s incredible. We played with heart and character. It’s amazing.”

The Swiss have not reached the quarter-finals in a major tournament since hosting the World Cup in 1954. This team also ended a run of three exits in the round of 16. He was ousted after Poland lost the penalty shootout 5. 4 in Euro 2016.

“I think we left what we had on the field,” Sommer said. “I’m incredibly proud of this team, how we’ve done it this evening.”

Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka said he had written a new chapter, which was particularly satisfying after the scathing criticism that followed their 3–0 loss to Italy in Rome on 16 June in their second Group A match. .

“I’ve always said this team deserves a lot more than you can read,” he said in a post-match press conference.

“There was a lot of talk about this team. They said we were arrogant but I can guarantee you one thing, we really wrote a history. All Swiss people can be really proud of. We achieved something like this. Which is impossible to describe in words.

“I had a positive feeling and in my opinion we played the first half right. Then we missed a penalty and scored three goals. It was a slap in the face but we made mistakes.

“But we still turned it against a team like France, which has all the top players in their ranks, it’s unbelievable,” said Jhaka.