Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel hailed what he called an “incredible, incredible achievement” after his team edged Colombia 4-3 on penalties in Vancouver on Tuesday, securing a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years.
Wearing the gloves at his first World Cup, the Borussia Dortmund keeper played a decisive role as he denied Cucho Hernandez from the spot with a dramatic save to his right. The victory also marked a turnaround after Switzerland had suffered three consecutive exits in the last 16, and it sets up a quarter-final against defending champions Argentina.
“I don’t think you can overstate what a huge achievement this is for us, for this team, for Switzerland,” Kobel said. “For such a small country to be among the top eight teams in the world in the biggest sport on the planet is unbelievable.”
He added: “I’m incredibly happy for every individual, for the supporters, for everyone who gets to experience a moment like this. And when I think about all the lads who’ve been part of this team for years, and all the people who are here today, it’s impossible to put into words.”
“You can’t praise it highly enough. It’s an amazing feeling and an incredible, incredible achievement,” Kobel concluded.
In the shoot-out, Colombia’s Davison Sanchez struck the crossbar to give Switzerland an early edge. However, Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji then sent his effort over the bar, briefly swinging the momentum back. Kobel’s decisive stop kept Switzerland in control at a critical moment, and it paved the way for Ruben Vargas to convert the winning penalty.
“I have to say, I was pretty focused in the moment,” Kobel said. “I didn’t really have huge emotional highs and lows during it. But saving that penalty was a massive moment.”
He described the atmosphere inside the group as the defining feature of the night: “Seeing the lads, seeing everyone urging each other on, seeing how much they were behind each other, the emotions that came out – you can’t get that anywhere else. It’s unique and it’s beautiful.”
With Switzerland’s fate on the line from 12 yards, Kobel said he never lost belief. “I had a huge amount of faith throughout the entire shoot-out, both in the lads and their ability to score penalties, and of course in my own abilities as well. And I’m absolutely over the moon that it all worked out.”
