Switzerland lose captain Granit Xhaka for four Nations League matches after forged Covid certificate admission

Switzerland will be without captain Granit Xhaka for their next four UEFA Nations League matches after the midfielder admitted using a forged Covid vaccine certificate during the pandemic.

The 33-year-old revealed on Monday that he had presented a fake certificate to avoid mandatory vaccination during the Covid crisis. He said he had been deeply concerned about the issue at the time and had struggled with mistrust, anxiety and doubt over the vaccine.

“Today I clearly see that I made the wrong choice. It was a mistake. I am sorry,” Xhaka wrote on Instagram.

He added that he was “cooperating fully with the relevant authorities”.

The Lucerne public prosecutor’s office is investigating the matter, according to Swiss media.

The Swiss Football Association said, in agreement with Xhaka, that he would not join the national team’s training camp in Belek, Turkey, which begins on Monday.

“Following his personal statement regarding his vaccination status, Granit Xhaka will not participate in the men’s national team’s upcoming gathering,” the association said in a statement.

Swiss FA president Peter Knabel said the organisation welcomed Xhaka’s decision to address the issue.

“We welcome the fact that Granit is taking this step and is prepared to fully clarify the situation,” Knabel said.

“At the same time, we mutually concluded that it was in the team’s best interest to proceed with this gathering without him.”

“Our priority now is to calm the situation and focus entirely on the team and the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures,” he added.

Switzerland begin their Nations League campaign away to North Macedonia on Saturday before travelling to face Scotland on September 29.

They then host Slovenia and North Macedonia in Lucerne on October 3 and October 6 respectively.

Xhaka is also set to miss Switzerland’s matches against Slovenia on November 13 and Scotland on November 16, meaning he will be unavailable for the team’s next four Nations League fixtures.

“At the end of this international window we will reassess the situation with Granit and discuss the next steps,” Knabel said.

The Swiss FA did not provide further details about the investigation but said the decision to continue without Xhaka at the upcoming gathering had been taken jointly with the player.