Granit Xhaka responds to 'toxic' rumors with World Cup goal celebration

Jim Reineking, USA TODAYFri, June 19, 2026 at 12:08 AM UTC

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INGLEWOOD, CA — Perhaps lost in the chaos that was the final 20 minutes of Switzerland's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday, June 18 was subtle message from Swiss star Granit Xhaka.

"They know why I did it," Xhaka said after the match.

What Xhaka did was mimic a talking motion with his right hand after converting a penalty kick in stoppage time. The goal gave his Swiss side a decisive 4-1 win and a likely spot in the 2026 World Cup's knockout rounds.

Xhaka — the veteran midfielder and team captain — had been a polarizing figure on the Switzerland team after a disappointing 1-1 draw to Qatar in the team's World Cup opener. He was critical of teammates following a pre-World Cup tune-up draw to Australia and the tie with Qatar. Furthermore, Xhaka was reportedly accused of creating a "toxic" atmosphere within the team.

Victory heals all wounds, so they say.

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After the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland coach Murat Yakin addressed the week of controversy surrounding his star player.

"We talk on a regular basis. It's very important to talk about what happened in the media with him. He was attacked personally," Yakin said through the FIFA translator. "I talked maybe 10 minutes with him. He started to refocus on the training session. Yesterday, during training, you could see how happy he was.

"Use that energy on the pitch. I don't care about talk, I focus on football. It's important he's a leader on the pitch."

Contributing: Jordan Mendoza

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Granit Xhaka goal celebration is response to critics in World Cup win

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