Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai is the player that everything went through for Hungary during the qualifying campaign. He posted more shots and shots on target than any other player in the squad, despite playing in midfield.

He has had 1.63 shots on target per 90 during the qualifying campaign and has been given immense responsibility in an offensive sense, far more than he was given last year at club level, when he had only 0.64 shots on target per 90 in the Premier League.

Szoboszlai has managed three shots on target exactly in each of the last three competitive fixtures against Lithuania, Bulgaria and Montenegro.

He scored four goals in Hungary’s eight qualifying fixtures, finishing as their joint-leading marksman. Confidence will be high for him to get shots on target.

Switzerland conceded at a rate of 1.1 goals per 90 during qualifying, indicating that there are gaps in their defence that can be exploited. Szoboszlai will be the man charged with doing that.

Hungary are an immensely physical side and will feel that they hold an edge over their opponents in terms of sheer strength. They are likely to try to upset Switzerland by making the game a battle in this regard.

The Hungarians gave up an average of 12.3 fouls per match in qualifying, which ranks fourth among nations who reached the finals. They also committed at least 11 fouls in five of their eight fixtures during the qualifying period.

Hungary gave away 13 and 17 fouls respectively in their latest friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Israel. They hit the 11-foul mark against Turkey in a 1-0 victory in March, meaning the only time in their four 2024 games they have not managed this line was a 2-0 home win over Kosovo.

While a high foul count does not necessarily mean a high card count, in Hungary’s case, there is a correlation between giving away lots of free kicks and attracting unwanted attention from referees.

During the qualifying process, they picked up 20 yellow cards and two red cards during their eight fixtures. Both sending offs were for second bookable offences. Each of Hungary’s last seven qualifying matches saw them earn at least two cards. Indeed, in four of their last six, they received at least three cards.

Across their four friendlies in 2024, they managed to picked up at least two bookings on three occasions, indicating that this is an approach they use even in relatively non-competitive encounters. In competitive action, this effect is likely to be magnified by the adrenaline the players will be experiencing.

The disciplinary record of these two nations in the qualifying process could barely have been more different. Hungary picked up 20 yellow cards and two more reds, in contrast to the Swiss, who played two additional games and still saw fewer cards, picking up only 19 yellows and a single red.

Switzerland might only have won 91 free kicks in qualifying, but they were highly successful in turning these into yellow cards for their opponents. Their rivals picked up 28 bookings across their 10 qualifying games at a rate of 2.8 cards per game.

Hungary are a more inherently physical team than their opponents and will look to assert themselves in the match. They committed 12.3 fouls per game in qualifying, compared to the Swiss only giving away 9.1 fouls. Combine this high foul count with Switzerland’s ability to get opponents booked and it suggests several Hungarians will find their names being taken by the referee.

A specialist in shooting from all areas of the field, Szoboszlai is liable to be Hungary’s most active player when it comes to having shots on goal in this encounter.

During qualifying, the Liverpool midfielder mustered 3.5 shots per 90 and played every minute of all eight matches, suggesting he will get ample game time to impress in this encounter. He had at least three shots in five of the last seven Hungary qualifiers, including a mammoth nine efforts against Bulgaria. He managed three or more shots on target in each of their last three competitive games.

Even with Liverpool in the Premier League, a team in which he is attributed far less offensive importance than he gets for Hungary, he managed 2.56 shots per 90. He is well used to having a high shot count no matter the situation he finds himself in.

The Swiss tend to be difficult to break down to get shots away from inside their box, so efforts from range are likely to be a solution. Szoboszlai will be critical in this regard and is fearless when it comes to having a strike from long distance.

Szoboszlai is undoubtedly Hungary’s go-to player and the foul count that he chalks up for his country is another telling factor in his importance to the team. During qualifying, he was fouled 25 times, which was fourth among all players in the process.

He won at least two fouls for his side in seven of the eight qualifying matches he played, earning four or more in exactly half of Hungary’s games.

Even at club level, Szoboszlai has a high foul count. With Liverpool last season, where he was typically used in less advanced areas and saw much less of the ball than he will with Hungary, he was third among players who featured for more than 1,800 Premier League minutes in terms of winning fouls. He picked up 1.24 fouls per 90 in with the Reds in the league.

Switzerland will have pinpointed him as the man who must be stopped, and that could result in tactical fouls on him further down the field in non-dangerous areas.