Winsley Boteli earns first Switzerland call-up

Striker Winsley Boteli has received his first call-up to the Switzerland national team following a prolific start to the season with FC Sion, where he has scored 13 goals in 15 league games.

Winsley Boteli has been called up to the Switzerland national team for the first time. The 19-year-old FC Sion striker earned his selection from head coach Murat Yakin after a sensational start to the season.

Boteli, a product of the Borussia Mönchengladbach youth academy, moved to Sion on loan in the summer of 2025. The club triggered a purchase option worth 3.5 million euros in the summer of 2026. Since then, the forward has been unstoppable, scoring 13 goals and providing five assists in 15 competitive appearances this season. That equates to a goal every 79 minutes.

His form was key in Sion finishing fourth in the Swiss Super League last season and qualifying for the Conference League. In six qualifying matches for that competition, he netted seven times, including a hat-trick against Ajax Amsterdam. On matchday six of this league campaign, he scored a brace in a 2-1 win over FC Basel.

Yakin Praises Exceptional Quality

National team boss Yakin pointed to the youngster's outstanding performances as the reason for his call-up. "Boteli is doing excellently," Yakin said. "I don't know if this has ever happened before. He can shoot from anywhere and scores goals." Switzerland currently tops its World Cup qualifying group with seven points from three games, holding a three-point lead over Canada. The next fixture is an away match against FYR Macedonia on September 26.

Boteli's rise has also attracted interest from several top European clubs. Offers from Galatasaray Istanbul, Crystal Palace, FC Porto, and Racing Strasbourg were reportedly made, with the Turkish side said to have bid 30 million euros. Sion president Christian Constantin and sporting director Barthélémy Constantin turned them down. Boteli himself expressed understanding for the decision. "But the moment wasn't right," the striker said in an interview. "I will definitely play against Barcelona one day. Sooner or later. And if the president didn't let me go, then he knows exactly why."

Gladbach's Decision in Retrospect

At Borussia Mönchengladbach, where Boteli scored 32 goals in 39 games for the U19s, his breakthrough is causing some reflection. The club announced his departure in May. As a replacement, Gladbach signed 28-year-old Isac Lidberg from Darmstadt 98 for the same 3.5 million euro fee. Lidberg scored his first goal for the Foals in a 3-4 loss to Mainz. Mönchengladbach is also believed to have secured a ten percent sell-on clause for any future transfer of Boteli.

For the Swiss national team, the call-up comes as the attack looks to add more firepower. The team's form in its last five matches reads three wins, one draw, and one loss. The most recent results were a 3-1 defeat to Argentina on July 12, a 0-0 draw with Colombia, and a 2-0 win over Algeria. The full statistics and current World Cup qualifying standings are available on our standings page. Boteli could make his debut in the match against FYR Macedonia, fulfilling a long-held ambition.