Why Swiss goalkeepers are training with tennis balls before facing Messi and Argentina

Under the blazing Kansas sun in one corner of the training ground, three towering figures have put aside footballs and picked up tennis balls instead. They are Switzerland's three goalkeepers—Gregor Kobel, Yvon Mvogo and Marvin Keller.

Ahead of one of the biggest matches of the FIFA World Cup, the sight at Switzerland's training session was certainly eye-catching. But with Lionel Messi and the world champions Argentina standing in their way, an unconventional approach to preparation is perhaps unsurprising.

Switzerland face Argentina in their quarter-final in Kansas City at 7:00 am Bangladesh time on Sunday, with a place in the semi-finals at stake.

The Swiss have reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954. No one is willing to let such a rare opportunity slip away after 72 years, and their goalkeeping coach has turned to tennis-ball drills in a bid to help stop Messi and company.

During training in Kansas on Friday, while the rest of the squad went through a light warm-up, the goalkeeping coach put the three keepers through an intense session. Their task was to walk while juggling tennis balls in the air.

Using tennis balls in goalkeeper training is not a new concept. Costa Rica's Keylor Navas famously showcased the method during the 2014 World Cup. Having trained with tennis balls since childhood, Navas played a key role in taking Costa Rica to the quarter-finals for the first time with a string of outstanding performances.

The smaller size of a tennis ball, combined with its tendency to change direction unpredictably in the air, sharpens a goalkeeper's vision and reflexes.

Former Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer also relied on the technique. His coach would strike tennis balls with a racket from the penalty spot, and Sommer would react in an instant to stop them.

The current Swiss goalkeeping coach has adopted the same method with his own players. The small yellow ball is harder to pick up visually, leaving goalkeepers with very little time to react. Without excellent grip and lightning-quick reflexes, catching a tennis ball is almost impossible.

The drills are designed primarily to prepare the goalkeepers for the sudden, bullet-like shots produced by Argentina's attacking players. Whether this special preparation pays off when Switzerland return to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years remains to be seen.