Switzerland vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina: Without Shaqiri, A-Team can be World Cup entertainers thanks to Freiburg's Johan Manzambi

Switzerland took one step closer to the round of 16 at World Cup 2026 on Thursday, when they thrashed Group B rivals Bosnia-Herzegovina 4-1 at SoFi Stadium.

Murat Yakin's A-Team came into the game after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Qatar in their opener, and seemed to be heading for another frustrating result despite a number of half chances, but the game changed when Johan Manzambi was introduced.

The Freiburg midfielder was substituted on with less than 20 minutes remaining, yet he bagged the first goal of the game mere moments after entering the fray, before notching his side's third in an action-packed end to the match.

Switzerland have garnered a reputation for being the entertainers at international tournaments, though questions remain about their future following the retirement of national-team icon Xherdan Shaqiri.

Here, after A-Team's triumph, Sports Mole takes a look at how the Swiss can return to their best at World Cup 2026.

Switzerland can do it at World Cup 2026 without Xherdan Shaqiri

Former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star Shaqiri made 125 appearances for Switzerland across a 14-year international career - netting 32 goals in the process - and was responsible for a number of memorable strikes at tournaments over that impressive stretch.

However, the 34-year-old no longer dons the A-Team jersey, leaving space for the likes of Nottingham Forest's Dan Ndoye to take centre-stage in his absence.

There is an argument to be made that Shaqiri could still add value to Yakin's XI, given that he notched 15 goals while providing 12 assists for Basel in 2025-26, and after watching their team struggle to make a breakthrough for large periods on Thursday, fans would be forgiven for wanting him back.

Luckily for the supporters that made the trip to Los Angeles, a triple substitution on the 71-minute mark delivered the spark that Switzerland needed.

Manzambi, Ruben Vargas and Djibril Sow were brought on, and turned the game on its head by scoring three of their side's four goals, as well as contributing to their opponents being shown a red card.

Manager Yakin may seek to make changes to his starting lineup against Canada following such impressive cameos, with Manzambi drawing particular praise for his pivotal role in Thursday's triumph.

One to watch: Switzerland and Freiburg midfielder Johan Manzambi

A midfielder by trade, Manzambi scored the first goal of the game in a manner befitting his number nine shirt when he rifled home a powerful volley three minutes after coming on.

Six minutes after that, he played Breel Embolo through on goal, spurring Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic into making a last-ditch slide tackle that resulted in the Dragons being reduced to 10 men.

Fellow substitute Vargas soon bagged a second to put the clash beyond Sergej Barbarez's side, and Manzambi added a third when the Sevilla forward pulled the ball back to him for a simple close-range finish.

At just 20 years of age, Manzambi started 26 times in for Freiburg in the Bundesliga, and played a major part as Die Breisgau-Brasilianer finished runners-up in the Europa League in 2025-26 - the club's first-ever appearance in a European final.

Such an eye-catching cameo on the biggest stage is sure to draw the attention of football fans, but there is no doubt that the youngster is already on the watchlist for the continent's biggest teams during what is set to be a busy summer transfer window.

Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka as strong as ever at World Cup 2026

Manzambi will deservedly garner the Swiss headlines this week, but Granit Xhaka's excellent performance should not be overlooked.

The A-Team's captain and record appearance holder with 148 caps, Xhaka has been at the core of the side for more than a decade, and he continues to deliver when it counts.

The 33-year-old midfielder's quality went under the radar at times during his stint with Arsenal, but his progressive passing was missed when he left for Bayer Leverkusen, whom he helped secure an unprecedented unbeaten Bundesliga title.

Now back in the Premier League as the captain of Sunderland, Xhaka is widely regarded as one of the most impactful players in the English top flight, and is credited with guiding the Black Cats to a remarkable seventh-placed finish last term.

On Thursday, he played a number of exceptional passes, finding Vargas on the left with a perfectly weighted through ball in the buildup to Manzambi's second, for example.

Xhaka was also able to get himself on the scoresheet when he dispatched a 97th-minute penalty into the bottom-right corner, just out of goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj's reach.

The captain lived up to his title with his display against Bosnia-Herzegovina, and as a new generation begins to break through into the Swiss national team, Xhaka's experience will act to temper the younger talent in the squad.