33·Legends
‹ Switzerland's 33
Granit Xhaka
Photo: @cfcunofficial (Chelsea Debs) London from London, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Switzerland · 2010–26

Granit Xhaka

Icon CDM, also CM, CB Right-footed anchorleader
Rating
86
Caps
151
Goals
18
Life
1992
Clubs
Borussia Mönchengladbach, Arsenal, Bayer 04 Leverkusen
#4
Editorial rank of 33 for Switzerland
–
The people's rank, live from duel votes

Eleven years of Bayern titles ended on 14 April 2024, with Xhaka striking one from 25 metres past Werder Bremen for 2-0 in the game that made Leverkusen German champions for the first time. That season ended unbeaten in the league with the DFB-Pokal alongside it, and he captains Switzerland as their record appearance holder on 152 caps, having won the Swiss title twice with Basel and the FA Cup twice with Arsenal. Career record: 151 caps and 18 goals for Switzerland; club career at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Arsenal, Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

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Career record

2010–2012FC Basel
2012–2016Borussia Mönchengladbach
2016–2023Arsenal
2023–2025Bayer 04 Leverkusen
2025–todaySunderland A.F.C.
Switzerland151 caps, 18 goals

Shared the era

Switzerland legends whose careers overlapped Xhaka's

The world's great CDMs

Around Xhaka in the almanac

One rank above: Alexander Frei at #3.

One rank below: Stephan Lichtsteiner at #5.

Switzerland's editorial top five: Stéphane Chapuisat · Yann Sommer · Alexander Frei · Granit Xhaka · Stephan Lichtsteiner.