Kobi Kuhn, the Swiss coach, is a well-dressed older man with white hair and an open face, who looks like a cheery financial adviser. That is why it was surprising, after Switzerland got knocked out of last year’s World Cup, to see him struggling not to cry.

It was a hot midnight in Cologne. Switzerland were going home after losing to Ukraine on penalties, but they hadn’t conceded a goal during the whole tournament. Already, Kuhn was looking ahead to Euro 2008, which his country would co-host with Austria. “More than three years ago, I did a report,” he said. “I wrote: ‘Switzerland, champions of Europe 2008.’ It was a little exaggerated, but...”