‘Greatest Of All Time’ – Sunderland Star Issued With Huge NT Praise | OneFootball

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Former Switzerland midfielder Blerim Dzemaili has dubbed Sunderland‘s Granit Xhaka the greatest player of all time for Switzerland, but Breel Embolo as currently the most important for the Swiss heading into the World Cup.

The just concluded season witnessed a triumphant return to the Premier League for both Sunderland and experienced former Arsenal midfielder Xhaka.

After helping the Black Cats qualify for the Europa League, Xhaka will now captain his side at the World Cup as he seeks to add to his 146 Switzerland caps.

Dzemaili, who was in the 2014 and 2018 Switzerland World Cup squads along with Xhaka, called it an ‘honour’ for anybody who has had the opportunity to share the pitch with the Sunderland man.

While Dzemaili stressed that Xhaka is the greatest Swiss player of all time, he feels that, at the moment, Rennes’ Breel Embolo is more important to the national side.

Dzemaili said to Swiss daily Blick: “I’ve often said that, for me, Breel Embolo is the most important player in this national team.

“Of course, no one can get past Granit.

“Granit is probably the greatest player of all time for us.

“For those who’ve played alongside him, it’s almost an honour.

“For those who watched him play, it was something sensational.”

Dzemaili feels that Embolo, targeted as a teenager by Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United, offers a critical and willing outlet, especially when Xhaka is man-marked out of the game.

“But for me, Breel Embolo is so important, because at that moment, and I remember very well the match against Scotland in the Euros, the moment the opposition takes Granit out of the game, we have few options.

“And what is the solution?

“A long ball to Breel. 

“And 99 per cent of the time, the ball is definitely there.

“And that’s why with Breel, we have a very important player who allows us to play differently.”

Xhaka’s side have been placed in Group B along with Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar, as the Swiss target progression from the group stage at a minimum.

Despite questions if he would switch over to Kosovo after they had been accepted as a full member, and over his allegiance to Albania arising out of his heritage, Xhaka has proven to be an able captain for the Swiss, illustrated by his advice to Leeds United winger Noah Okafor earlier in the season.

Sunderland meanwhile, are preparing for the upcoming season, a campaign in which they will have to juggle domestic and European commitments.