Switzerland Loses Embolo for Nations League Amid Fake COVID-19 Documents Case

Switzerland is once again without one of its biggest names just as the Nations League gets underway. Breel Embolo will not report for national team duty for the match in Scotland, the Swiss federation confirmed Friday, after local media revealed new details about a fake COVID-19 documents case the Atlanta United forward has been dealing with since 2021.

The federation was clear about its reasoning: the decision is meant to let the rest of the squad train and compete without distractions. That was the explanation in their statement, making clear the focus needs to stay on the upcoming matches rather than a scandal that has been dragging on for months.

And this isn't an isolated case. Just last weekend, captain Granit Xhaka himself reached an agreement with team officials to step away from the squad. Xhaka, who holds the national team record with 152 appearances, has been named in an investigation into a doctor who allegedly issued fake vaccination certificates during the pandemic. The player himself admitted to obtaining the document in 2022 and acknowledged his mistake.

I made mistakesGranit Xhaka

Switzerland's schedule at the start of this Nations League campaign leaves no room to breathe: this Saturday they visit North Macedonia in the second-tier group, Tuesday they play on the road against Scotland, and then two home fixtures follow in Lucerne, against Slovenia and North Macedonia again.

A Forward Already Dealing with Setbacks

Embolo, 29, was already set to miss Saturday's match for a separate reason: he's serving a suspension stemming from that controversial red card against Argentina in the World Cup quarterfinals. Over time, IFAB, the Zurich-based body that governs the laws of the game, ended up acknowledging that the red card was a mistake and that VAR protocol had been broken on that play.

This latest situation is different. Switzerland Today was the outlet that brought the details of the financial penalty to light, a sanction that had already been imposed last year over the fake tests, an episode that was known in broad strokes but whose specifics only came out this week.

It's worth remembering how much Embolo meant to Switzerland's last World Cup run. He arrived late to the squad's camp because of a visa issue with US authorities, missed days of training with the group, and still started in the opener, scoring in the 1-1 draw against Qatar. He scored again in Switzerland's win over Algeria in the round of 16. A player who has delivered in big moments, now sidelined for these September matches over a matter that has nothing to do with what happens on the field.

With two key figures out, the captain and its attacking focal point, the Switzerland side that opens against North Macedonia this Saturday will have to find a way forward with other pieces while the noise surrounding the locker room keeps growing.