Murat Yakin did look slightly surprised to be asked about his status as a sex symbol. It was shortly after his side had drawn with in their second group game at Euro 2024. In among all the questions about his team changes, tactical thinking and approach for the next game against tournament hosts , it slightly unusual.
Advertisement But he’s a big hit on TikTok, apparently. At a tournament where there have been some maverick touchline fashion choices, Yakin’s style is unfussy smart-casual: the sorts of clothes that aren’t immediately eye-catching but you can tell actually cost more than your car. He often wears a pair of large spectacles that, along with the streaks of grey in his swept-back hair, make him look a bit like Adam Driver playing Maurizio Gucci in the 2021 movie about the Italian clothing brand.
And for the thirstier corners of the internet, it clearly works. When the question was asked, Yakin’s eyebrows rose towards the top of his forehead. Defender , sitting next to him, burst out laughing.
“I hope my wife isn’t listening to this,” said Yakin. But it was probably a relief for Yakin to be fielding that sort of question, given what he had to deal with before the tournament. Sure, Switzerland had qualified for Euro 2024 but by this point, there was a sense of ‘What else is new?’ about their national team.
They have been at the past five World Cups and six of the eight most recent European Championships. Near-perennial presences. A comfort in a comp.