Denis Zakaria

Denis Zakaria is a powerful, athletic central midfielder whose career has never quite fulfilled its early promise. Dominant at Borussia Mönchengladbach, his move to Juventus in 2022 stalled through injury and a lack of consistent opportunity, and subsequent spells — including a loan at Chelsea — failed to establish him. At Monaco since 2023, he has found more stability, deploying his physicality and ball-winning ability in Ligue 1. For Switzerland, Zakaria offers a different midfield profile to Xhaka — more combative, less creative — and when fit and sharp, he adds genuine defensive muscle to the national team's engine room.