“The Triumph of Europe”, “Irritatingly flawless champions”, “Deschampions” – the Swiss press are effusive in their praise of France’s football world champions under manager Didier Deschamps, but some voices expressed concern about the direction the tournament was taking.
This content was published on
4 minutes
Born in London, Thomas was a journalist at The Independent before moving to Bern in 2005. He speaks all three official Swiss languages and enjoys travelling the country and practising them, above all in pubs, restaurants and gelaterias.
“There’s a ritual after every big sporting event: the most recent version is always hailed as the best that’s ever taken place. The World Cup in Russia is no exception,” hailed the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) on Monday.
“Russia can be very pleased with its achievements – hardly any of the fears discussed ahead of the games manifested themselves,” it said.
More
More
Swiss World Cup dream comes to an end
This content was published on
Switzerland have been beaten 1-0 by Sweden in a low-quality World Cup encounter in St Petersburg.
“While the event may have generated new experiences for residents of host cities and changed their perception of foreigners, everything else remains the same and it’s not apparent that the country has been sustainably changed by hosting the games.”
The NZZ noted that the celebrations were “completely apolitical”. “The Kremlin did not give in to the temptation of making symbolic gestures as it had done before the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi,” it said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was “astonishingly restrained”, the paper concluded. “Ultimately it wasn’t so much ‘Putin’s Games’ – as had been feared – as the Games of the Russian people.”
‘Moment of unity’
“With France’s 4-2 victory [over Croatia], the World Cup has come to an end. Initially, the big question this year was who is in the mood even to watch the games? Who is in the mood for a summer with Russia, with Putin, with discussions about human rights, freedom of the press, violence, homophobia, Crimea, Syria, racism and corruption?” wrote the Tages-Anzeiger in Zurich.
“In the end, none of these subjects was really discussed in the past four-and-a-half weeks. Putin took a step back and gave the Russian people an opportunity to present themselves to the world with a smile, and to show their hospitality.”
Nevertheless, Russia remains unchanged, “because no country has ever been changed simply by hosting the World Cup”.
Tabloid Blick focused on what the result could mean for France, which previously won the World Cup 20 years ago.
“France should enjoy this moment of unity. Winning the World Cup certainly has the power to bring people together, just like back in 1998. But we know that the moment is fleeting, so hope shouldn’t be stretched too much. Football can’t solve the social problems around integration in France, just like it can’t solve it in any other country.”
Digestible format?
“This was the last World Cup” was the rather gloomy headline of the editorial in the Tribune de Genève.
“We’ve got to wait four years until another adventure – except nothing will be the same,” it said. “The World Cup as we know it is dead and buried.”
From 1982 to 1998, 24 teams took part in the World Cup and since 1998 it’s been 32. “The finals have always invited the footballing elite to a summer get-together. But that’s now history. A page has turned and we don’t really know the contents of the following chapter.”
In 2022 the tournament will be played in Qatar – in November and December as a result of the searing heat in June and July. “That’s the first revolution,” according to the Tribune de Genève.
The second is that, four years later, the World Cup will be shared between the United States, Canada and Mexico and fought out between 48 teams.
“The business logic quickly imposed itself: it’s all about involving as many countries as possible. With ‘fast football’ people happily swallow double portions. We’ll soon see if it remains digestible. But there are doubts. If we’re being honest, the quality in this World Cup of 32 teams has left a lot to be desired.”
For Le Temps in Lausanne, the French team “has shown qualities which, seen from Switzerland, one often accuses France of not demonstrating in daily life: modesty, cohesion, compromise and patience”.
“It is to be hoped that the temptation for arrogance and boasting will make way for a serene victory. Born in the suburbs, the black-and white team of Deschamps will be all the more respected if it manages to avoid any political hijacking or blundering exploitation of its success,” it said.
Lifting the trophy is proof that “when these mixed talents are correctly harmonised, our big neighbour deserves our trust and congratulations. To say ‘bravo’ to Deschamps’ team is to welcome the potential of this France”.
More
More
World Cup winners and losers – off the pitch
This content was published on
As the 2018 football World Cup in Russia comes to its dramatic end, it’s clear that winners and losers exist off the pitch as well as on it.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Dual citizen Swiss football row moves into extra-time
This content was published on
André Gross told the Sonntagszeitung that the national team player, who was born in Basel, only holds a Swiss passport. The article also accuses the SFA of getting the second nationality of Valon Behrami wrong – he used to hold a Serbian passport, not Albanian. An SFA spokesman told the newspaper that its apparently misleading…
Swiss FA considers forcing young footballers to drop a second nationality
This content was published on
Switzerland has to ask itself whether it should ban dual citizens from representing the national football team, says an official.
This content was published on
The current "double eagle" controversy is not the first time the Swiss have had their wrists slapped by the football authorities.
Swiss footballers fined by FIFA for Albanian double-eagle gesture
This content was published on
Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka and Stephan Lichtsteiner will not be banned for their Albanian “double eagle” hand gesture.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.