English-born Swiss star Kwadwo Duah admits his Euro 2024 call-up ‘came out of nowhere’ but is now plotting England’s downfall… by naming the one Three Lions player he’s shocked didn’t play more in Germany

• Kwadwo Duah was born in England but is playing for Switzerland at Euro 2024
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The first English-born player to score at Euro 2024 is playing for Switzerland, who will face England for a place in the semi-finals on Saturday.

When Kwadwo Duah scored against Hungary on the second day of the tournament, it was only his second shot for Switzerland and only his second international appearance.

For the striker, who spent his early years in Islington and now plays football in Bulgaria, it was a real moment, less than an hour into his international career.

Growing up as a Chelsea fan, Duah said his idol was Didier Drogba and it was a goal the former Chelsea striker would have relished as the 27-year-old used his speed to get in behind before a composed finish.

At his Swiss base on the outskirts of Stuttgart on Wednesday, Duah revealed that another Chelsea player’s role in the England squad had surprised him, with Cole Palmer limited to just two substitute appearances despite a Premier League campaign in which he scored 22 goals and provided 11 assists.

“Cole Palmer has had a very good season and I wonder why he is not playing because his statistics were perfect in the Premier League,” Duah said.

Despite his England ties, Duah denied feeling any emotional connection to Gareth Southgate’s side and warned it would be foolish for England to underestimate Switzerland, even though they have never reached a semi-final at a major tournament.

“They (England) watched our game against Italy and we were pretty good so I don’t think they (will underestimate us). We want to show what we can do,” Duah insisted.

He speaks at least four languages ​​fluently and his inclusion in the Swiss squad came as a surprise, given that he plays for Ludogorets Razgrad in Bulgaria.

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Duah turned down an approach from Ghana in 2022 and was put forward by Giorgio Contini, the Swiss assistant coach who was a striker himself.

After keeping a close eye, manager Murat Yakin selected him in the 26-man squad in May, with even Duah admitting that “it came out of nowhere”.

And Ghana’s loss turns out to be Switzerland’s gain, with Duah playing in three of Switzerland’s four games in Germany

“I was born in London but I don’t have any family there anymore,” Duah revealed. “My parents were in Ghana but they had the opportunity to go to England because it was a better life. Then they had an even better opportunity to come to Switzerland, when I was two years old, so they took it,” he added.

And while Duah is likely to start on the bench, given his versatility in attack, he is expected to feature at some point in Düsseldorf.

But before that, he will prepare by reading comic books. “It’s an unusual hobby but it calms me down. I like to read them on the team bus,” Duah said a few years ago.

Asked again on Wednesday, Duah said: “I’m a huge fan of Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and all that.”

It will be time to see if he can use fiction to make Swiss dreams come true.