Swiss role for Behrami

Valon Behrami will wear the No11 shirt for Switzerland after being named in the country's final 23-man FIFA World Cup squad.

The West Ham United midfielder is expected to be a central figure for Ottmar Hitzfeld's side as they seek to qualify from Group H, which also contains European champions Spain, Chile and Honduras.

Behrami, who has 26 senior caps, has been a regular member of the Switzerland squad since making his debut in a 1-1 draw with France in October 2005.

With the likes of FC Basel 1893 striker Alexander Frei and Bayer 04 Leverkusen midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta also in the squad, he believes his nation has a chance to make an impact in South Africa.

"Switzerland think they should get through the group stage, but then it will be very difficult to go any further. If we go through to the second round, that would be a great thing, and then we will see what happens.

"We have a good team and it will be important for our country, which is a small country, to do well. We can finish in the top two in our group, but we must give 100 per cent, like every other team in the World Cup. We must think like this, then we have a chance."

At Germany 2006, Behrami lasted just two minutes before being sidelined with an injury in the group-stage win over South Korea and is desperate to play a more influential role this time around.

Should Switzerland finish in the top two in Group H, they are likely to face Brazil, Portugal or Ivory Coast in the second round. With that in mind, the 25-year-old knows reaching the quarter-finals would represent a major achievement.

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"A good World Cup would be to go further than we did in Germany in 2006. Four years ago, we finished top of our group ahead of France and South Korea, but we lost in the second round.

"If we could get to the quarter-finals, it would be a great result for us. They were happy four years ago, so if we get through the group again, they will be happy again, because we are a small country. To get through the group is a big thing."

Switzerland complete their World Cup preparations by facing Costa Rica in Sion on Tuesday 1 June and Italy in Geneva on Saturday 5 June.