One just made it at the last moment, the other has long been one of the established.

Many sporting dreams have come true for Eintracht professionals Randal Kolo Muani and Djibril Sow at the World Cup in the desert.

Kolo Muani, who was nominated for the squad shortly before the end of the season and turned 24 on Monday, has already achieved with his national team colleagues what Sow, who is one year older, is still striving for: the leap into the quarter-finals.

Ralph Weitbrecht

sports editor.

  • Follow I follow

France's Équipe Tricolore found it easy to defeat Poland 3-1 and keep their dream of defending their title alive.

On the way to the round of eight, the Swiss national team has to clear a big chunk out of the way: Portugal.

Sow and Co. compete this Tuesday (8 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the soccer World Cup, on ARD and on MagentaTV) with the Southwestern Europeans who love to play.

Sow in the round of 16 - that's no surprise, because the Swiss national soccer team is characterized by consistency.

Unlike the German team, which returned after the preliminary round, Switzerland is among the top 16 teams in the world for the third time in a row after 2014 and 2018.

In Qatar, it was the 3-2 win over Serbia that paved the way to the knockout stages.

Sow was there of course and also knew how to please in goal preparation.

Good and important games

"I'm very happy with the game and relieved that we're through," said Sow, who was substituted in the 69th minute, after progressing.

There was sometimes a wild back-and-forth against Serbia. Sow later said: “We showed that we always come back.

It was important that we managed to do that before the break.

We're more relaxed now because we've achieved the main goal: getting through the preliminary round, which wasn't easy.” The Frankfurt soccer professional described what followed as “bonus games”.

Sow made many good and important games for his club Eintracht in the successful year 2022, which was coming to an end.

And yes: he also scored goals.

That doesn't usually happen with great regularity.

But Sow has improved in many ways and thus reached a higher level of performance.

Sow was just as successful in the spectacular 4-3 away win in Bremen as he was in the no less goal-scoring 4-2 win against Hoffenheim.

Eintracht put on a breathtaking performance against TSG in the last Bundesliga home game of the year.

In the middle: Sow.

The driver in front of the defence, who has long since provided his role with a fine blade and usually shows the best mileage of all teammates, was successful after just six minutes.

Sow's game makes an impression.

It has long been no secret that he would like to play in the Premier League one day.

"It's my wish, it's my goal." Nottingham Forest's interest is well known, as is Sow's announcement that he will remain loyal to Eintracht for the time being.

But for how much longer?

Newcastle United and Arsenal FC are said to have joined the circle of English prospects.

Sow's contract in Frankfurt runs until mid-2024.