The well-deserved summer break has now also begun for FSV’s final World Cup participant. With a few days’ distance from the bitter quarter-final exit with the Swiss national team, Silvan Widmer will surely look back on the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA with great pride. The Nati gave Lionel Messi’s Argentina a real battle at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Sunday night despite playing with ten men for a long period, and were only beaten in extra time. The long-serving Mainz 05 captain came on in the 86th minute and, together with his teammates, fought against elimination until shortly before the end.
Argentina’s early lead through Alexis McAllister was cancelled out by Dan Ndoye in the second half, before Breel Embolo was sent off for simulation in the 72nd minute. Despite Switzerland’s numerical disadvantage, it took until the 112th minute for Julian Alvarez to put Argentina back in front. Lautaro Martinez finally sealed the win in stoppage time of extra time, by which point the Swiss had long since thrown everything forward. For Switzerland, however, reaching the quarter-finals was still an unprecedented historic achievement.
Following his summer break, Widmer will return to Bruchweg at the appropriate time and join pre-season preparations.
