Ottmar Hitzfeld leaving solid Switzerland legacy after World Cup

Backup to Benaglio between the sticks comes in the form of Yann Sommer (Basel) and Marco Wolfli (Young Boys). Midfield is where Switzerland possess the greatest strength in depth, with several names familiar to Premier League audiences.

Valon Behrami and Blerim Dzemaili (both Napoli), and Gelson Fernandes (Freiburg) will be remembered by West Ham, Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City fans respectively.

National captain Gokhan Inler (also Napoli), young Granit Xhaka (Borussia Monchengladbach) and Eintracht Frankfurt skipper Pirmin Schwegler are also available options for the middle of the park.

How much room is there on the roster for wide men and strikers, though? Probably not enough for four each, if all those central midfielders are going to Brazil.

Uncapped CSKA Moscow winger Steven Zuber looks set to miss out, unless injury rules out one of the experienced Tranquillo Barnetta (Eintracht Frankfurt), Fulham’s versatile Pajtim Kasami, Xherdan Shaqiri (Bayern Munich) or Valentin Stocker (Basel).

Eren Derdiyok (Bayer Leverkusen) has more goals than any other Swiss striker recently called up, but may miss out on inclusion to younger options.

He turns 26 on the day Brazil kick the finals off, but the likes of Haris Seferovic (Real Sociedad), Admir Mehmedi (Freiburg), Mario Gavranovic (FC Zurich) and Nuremberg hotshot Josip Drmic are ahead of him.

It is because Derdiyok has been used almost exclusively as a substitute by Leverkusen that Hitfeld may omit him. The coach has also ditched Livorno loanee Innocent Emeghara midway through qualifying.

Switzerland’s squad is thus packed full of potential and proven, steady talent. Anything less than the last 16 would be under-achieving.

Look to Drmic (at the time of writing only Mario Mandzukic and Robert Lewandowski had scored more Bundesliga goals than him) to snap up their group stage chances, after bagging a brace against Croatia in a World Cup warm-up game.

Basel boy Schar is also a major nuisance from corners and free kicks, so expect him to capitalise on such situations, especially against the weak defences of Ecuador and Honduras.

Odds of 80/1 suggest the Swiss cannot win the competition, but a more tempting price of 9/2 on their stage of elimination being the quarter-finals is well worth considering.