Switzerland legend Stephane Henchoz has said that Arsenal star Granit Xhaka cannot be selected as captain of the country due to what he sees as unacceptable behaviour.
Xhaka hit the headlines in the summer during the World Cup, when he celebrated a goal against Serbia with the ‘double-headed eagle’ gesture, designed as a show of support towards Kosovan Serbs.
The celebration came to the fore again at the weekend, when Arsenal team-mate Shkodran Mustafi replicated it during a Premier League encounter against Cardiff.
Henchoz, however, has taken a dim view of the action and believes it should rule the player out of captaining the team.
“I think the captain has to represent the Swiss team and Switzerland, Xhaka does not do that,” former Liverpool defender Henchoz argued to Blick.
“This would be a real problem. Players like [Yann] Sommer, [Stephan] Lichtsteiner or [Fabian] Schar, who represent traditional Switzerland, could feel excluded, just like fans who might not be able to identify with the team.
“The Swiss players without a migration background and Swiss fans, they would feel marginalised.”
He then went on to explain that the player’s failure to sing the national anthem suggests he is not fully committed to the cause.
“Some players say how great their desire is to play for Switzerland. I’d ask them: ‘What is this pleasure? So they can show themselves on a big stage? Because after the World Cup maybe they can get a better contract at their clubs or get a transfer?’” he said.