SWISS STALL

Vega gives history lesson

- JOHN CROSS

RAMON VEGA still remembers the time England did not take Switzerland seriously at a Euros.

It was back in 1996, Gareth Southgate was in the England squad, Roy Hodgson was manager of Switzerland and everybody expected the hosts to win at Wembley in their opening game.

Switzerland surprised England, held them to a 1-1 draw and could easily have won. England were given a rude awakening. And Switzerland believe they can go one better in Dusseldorf in Saturday’s quarter-final.

Former Switzerland and Tottenham defender Vega, 53, said: “We had just qualified for our second tournament in 30 years, England were supposed to turn up and win but they flew back hammered from Hong Kong, Gazza in the dentist’s chair and they were all laughing.

“We were thinking, ‘Are they taking us seriously?’ They were all singing, ‘It’s Coming Home’. And we were singing, ‘It’s coming to Switzerland!’