England v Switzerland combined XI has five Southgate players as Saka, Foden snubbed

We contemplated doing an opinion-based England v Switzerland combined XI but realised it would be very one-sided. That wouldn’t be fair considering how rubbish England have been at Euro 2024.

Instead, here is one based on WhoScored match ratings. Only players with at least 120 minutes played at Euro 2024 qualify. And with Gareth Southgate potentially switching to a back three – which Switzerland already do – we are rocking a 3-4-3 formation.

GK: Jordan Pickford (England) – 6.51

An underwhelming start to proceedings sees two goalkeepers with poor match ratings scramble for a spot between the sticks. The edge just goes to the England No. 1.

CB: Fabian Schar (Switzerland) – 7.08

The highest-rated centre-back in the team, Fabian Schar is having himself a great tournament and has been a crucial player for the Swiss, despite smashing the ball into the roof of his own net against Scotland on matchday two in the group stage.

CB: John Stones (England) – 6.82

One of the only players in the England team who has been exempt from criticism (to an extent), John Stones is a consistent performer and one of the first names on the team sheet.

MORE ON ENGLAND V SWITZERLAND FROM F365

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👉 Reasons to be cheerful about England heading into Euro 2024 quarter-finals

CB: Manuel Akanji (Switzerland) – 6.77

England’s Marc Guehi had the exact same average rating as Manuel Akanji and the very simple way of separating them is that the former is suspended for Saturday’s quarter-final.

RM: Dan Ndoye (Switzerland) – 6.92

One of the players we think Manchester United will be hoodwinked into signing after Euro 2024, Bologna’s Ndoye has been on form for Switzerland in Germany. Unfortunately for the Red Devils, we live in a world where Bologna can offer Champions League football and they cannot.

CM: Declan Rice (England) – 7.20

His match rating feels a little bit false, but here we are.

CM: Granit Xhaka (Switzerland) – 6.99

Yeah, there is no way that Rice has been better than Granit Xhaka at Euro 2024. Not a chance. Regardless, the former Arsenal midfielder partners the current Arsenal midfielder in this combined XI.

Xhaka has been outstanding over the last two years but his best performances always seem to come at the European Championship. He has a ridiculous five player of the match awards in 12 Euros appearances, including two in four this summer.

LM: Michel Aebischer (Switzerland) – 7.14

Another one of Bologna’s stars, Aebischer has massively contributed to Switzerland’s quarter-final berth, assisting two and scoring once in four games this summer. If you had no idea who he was before this tournament kicked off, we would not judge you.

RF: Jude Bellingham (England) – 7.32

The highest-rated player in this team is the man who scored England’s only goal against Serbia on matchday one as he ran the show for 45 minutes, and scored one of the Three Lions’ most iconic goals ever against Slovakia to rescue them from a humiliating last-16 exit.

Jude Bellingham gets in this team after somehow avoiding suspension. He assumes a role as an inside-forward type player, coming in from the right to almost play as another striker in our theoretical side.

📣 TO THE COMMENTS! Will England beat Switzerland? Join the debate here.

LF: Ruben Vargas (Switzerland) – 6.93

There is no place for Phil Foden or Bukayo Saka, but for Vargas, who joins Aebischer and Ndoye in Switzerland’s combined XI with Gareth Southgate’s England. First mention of Southgate since the intro, by the way. Felt nice forgetting about his existence for a bit, didn’t it?

Vargas is another one of those Swiss players you never hear anything about during the domestic season but is an ever-present in the national team. From Breel Embolo to Ricardo Rodriguez, they have those players in abundance.

ST: Harry Kane (England) – 6.90

Harry Kane can benefit from his two goals and the fact Breel Embolo has come off the bench in two of Switzerland’s four games at Euro 2024. He has been very underwhelming and uninvolved. We thought being uninvolved would benefit England but it most certainly has not.