Swiss soccer coach talks of making history at Arrowhead ahead of World Cup match
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- Christian Okoye gave Yakin a No. 26 jersey with Switzerland on the back.
- Captain Granit Xhaka exchanged jerseys with Chiefs Hall of Famer Christian Okoye.
- Yakin said Switzerland will try to have a historic win and write their own history.
Kansas City has shown the world its hospitality as a 2026 FIFA World Cup host, but the Chiefs remain one of the metro’s most influential forces.
Ahead of their quarterfinal clash with Argentina, set for Saturday evening at Kansas City (Arrowhead) Stadium, Chiefs legend Christian Okoye gifted Switzerland manager Murat Yakin a No. 26 jersey bearing the country’s name on the back. Captain Granit Xhaka also swapped jerseys with the Chiefs Hall of Famer.
The “Nigerian Nightmare,” as Okoye was known during his NFL playing days, shares roots with Swiss players Manuel Akanji and Noah Okafor — all hail from the African nation of Nigeria.
Yakin was surprised and pleased to be given a Chiefs jersey. He said he is a big NFL fan.
“It was amazing yesterday to have somebody from the Chiefs visit and give me a jersey,” the coach told reporters in KC Friday, “because it’s not every day that you meet a Chiefs legend. I have watched many NFL matches, and I really like it.”
Although the Swiss wear red like the Chiefs, Switzerland fans figure to be greatly outnumbered by counterparts wearing the sky blue and white of Argentina. Led by 39-year-old superstar Lionel Messi, the defending champions are favorites again.
Switzerland is on a historic run, in the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1954. Argentina knocked the Swiss out of the Round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup.
Leading Swiss scorer Johan Manzambi won’t be able to play Saturday, but Switzerland remains confident it can advance to the semifinals.
The Swiss acknowledge the historic run they’re on and say they can go even further. Meanwhile, Yakin marvels at the history of the Chiefs and hopes Switzerland can leave its own timeless mark on Kansas City.
“Tomorrow, we get to play in the stadium where the Chiefs were able to win a lot the last couple of years,” Yakin said. “That’s a real highlight, but we will try to have a historic win as well tomorrow and write our own history, and I’m very excited about that.”
