Switzerland's young promise shines at the World Cup and is denied a hat-trick by his own captain
Johan Manzambi made history by scoring two goals for Switzerland at the World Cup, becoming the youngest player to score two goals as a substitute. He could have scored a hat-trick but was prevented from taking a penalty by captain Granit Xhaka.
Young Swiss talent Johan Manzambi entered the field and changed the history of the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, scoring two goals and making World Cup history. At just 20 years and 247 days old, the Freiburg midfielder became the youngest player in the competition to score two or more goals as a substitute, as well as being the first to achieve this feat wearing the Switzerland shirt. His goals, the first less than two minutes after his 72nd-minute substitute appearance, helped Switzerland secure a 4-1 victory at the SoFi Stadium, all but securing a place in the last 16 under coach Murat Yakin.
Manzambi could have further extended his feat by having the chance to take a penalty in the 97th minute, but captain Granit Xhaka took responsibility. If Manzambi had converted the penalty, he would have become the third youngest player to score a hat-trick in World Cup history, behind only the legendary Pelé and German Edmund Conen.
"I didn't ask him to get out of the way!" commented Manzambi, smiling, when asked about the penalty kick. "I just asked if he was going to score and he said: 'Yes'. He scored, so I'm happy. The victory was more important than a hat-trick." Xhaka, in turn, explained his decision not to concede the charge to his young colleague. "It's not an individual feat. We have rules. He's young, he has a great future ahead of him, so we're going to prioritize experienced players for these charges. His turn will come."
A former goalkeeper, Manzambi is a versatile midfielder who can play in both a box-to-box role and further forward. He stood out last season with Freiburg, especially on his way to the Europa League final, where he scored a goal in the semi-final against Braga.
In June 2025, he made his debut for the Swiss national team against Mexico and, a few days later, scored his first goal for the national team against the United States. With his two goals against Bosnia, he reached five goals in 14 international matches, level with stars such as Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, behind only Lionel Messi and Jonathan David in the World Cup top scorer.
"It wasn't necessarily a source of inspiration, but of course we watched their games," Manzambi said of the players whose marks he matched. "Being able to do the same as Mbappé is incredible for me."
Before their introduction against Bosnia, Switzerland dominated possession, but had difficulty creating clear chances. With the entry of Manzambi, the team stood out, taking advantage of a failure in the Bosnian defense to open the score.
With the next group game against Canada in Vancouver scheduled for June 24, coach Yakin admitted that Manzambi's performance gave him food for thought. "He is a very happy person, with many qualities in football. From the first moment [in the national team] he took advantage of every opportunity. He is very versatile: in defense, in midfield, on the flanks, as a striker. He needs to be more structured, but he is moving forward with it. We are very happy to have Johan in our team and he was very important for today's game. Who knows, maybe we can use him from the beginning. Let's see what the future holds for us."
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