Akanji's journey to Switzerland: from youth training to national team
The teenage Akanji, who made his debut in a Swiss U-20 uniform on September 7, 2014, in a match against Germany's U-20s, which resulted in a 0-0 draw between the two teams.
The following year, Akanji's career took a new step forward when he made his debut for the Swiss U-21 team against the Italian U-21 on March 26, 2015, and despite a 0-3 loss, his growth trajectory was clear.
In 2018, the call up to the adult national team came and Akanji featured against the Faroe Islands, a 2-0 win for Switzerland, where he ran relentlessly throughout the game.
The stage of the World Cup in Russia saw him mature, and in 2018, Akanji was named to the Swiss national team's roster and helped the Swiss to a fourth-place finish in the UEFA Nations League.
Akanji started all five of Switzerland's matches at the 2020 UEFA European Football Championships, where his team advanced to the quarterfinals, and he stepped up in the penalty shootout against France, but against Spain, a mistake in the penalty shootout earned Switzerland a hate match.
In 2022, Akanji scored the first goal of his national team career against Spain, and at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he was one of the key players, scoring a solo triple against Portugal, despite a 1-6 loss.
In 2024, Akanji was once again selected for the Swiss national team, and on the stage of the European Football Championships, his all-around performance helped Switzerland to a 3-1 victory over Hungary.
The information above regarding the national team experience of Manuel Akanji is revealed. For more exciting data and information, stay tuned to this site.
