On July 13, the UEFA Euro quarter-finals will see England take on Switzerland. Swiss head coach Petković reminisces about his team’s humiliating loss to England during his playing days and expresses his desire for redemption.
In the 2004 Euros, Switzerland suffered a 0-3 defeat at the hands of England, with Petković, then a defender, unable to contain the young Wayne Rooney, who at 18 years and 237 days became the youngest goalscorer in Euro history. Reflecting on that match, Petković said, “If you lose 3-0, you’re obviously not satisfied. As a player back then, I didn’t have to explain why we lost so badly – that was the job of the coach. Some English players were instrumental that day, like Owen and Scholes.”
Petković emphasizes the transformation of the current Swiss squad: “Compared to that time, we’ve undergone tremendous changes and learned positively from our mistakes. As a manager now, I can also draw lessons from that defeat.”
