Switzerland is taking giant strides towards the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Since the bitter exit from the European Championship round of 16 a year ago, the national team has won every competitive match, seven of them. That's not just a strong performance, it's also historic: never before has a Swiss national team achieved this.
With 21 points from seven games, Switzerland are top of Group B in the World Cup qualifiers. Four games remain on the program. First up, Vladimir Petkovic's team will face Andorra.
The dwarf state in the Pyrenees between France and Spain has just under the size of the canton of Obwalden and as many inhabitants as the city of St. Gallen. For once, tiny Switzerland is supremely powerful, especially in footballing terms. The Andorran national team has just one professional footballer: Marc Vales, employed by the Finnish club SJK Seinäjoki. The total market value of the Andorran players is 600,000 euros. By comparison, Switzerland has a market value of 140 million.
Andorra already won against Hungary
But beware: Andorran football is on a high. The national team made the biggest leap in the FIFA world rankings in June. Although it is still only ranked 129th, San Marino and Hungary experienced the upswing first-hand in 2017. The 1:0 victory over Hungary is one of the biggest sensations in recent football history. Hungary, a participant in the last 16 of the 2016 European Championship.
Team captain and Bellinzona player Ildefons Lima sums up the Andorrans' new self-confidence: "If we are a team that competes at eye level and doesn't feel inferior to anyone on the pitch, we have a chance in every game."
Meaning for Switzerland: watch out, stumbling block!
SWITZERLAND-ANDORRA
August 31, 2017, kybunpark St. Gallen
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