Xherdan Shaqiri insists he debunked the myth that players could not perform on a "cold, rainy night in Stoke", as he did it "many times".

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• Shaqiri became a cult hero at Stoke
• Played for the club between 2015 and 2018
• Idiom has gone into British footballing lexicon

• Table of Contents

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Shaqiri developed into a cult hero at Stoke during his time in the Potteries, playing for the club between 2015 and 2018. The Switzerland international made 92 appearances in total, scoring 15 goals and providing 15 assists throughout his time at the bet365 Stadium.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The phrase 'could he do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke' has become a standard part of the footballing language in England, and even Andy Murray referenced it when he met Lionel Messi, asking the Inter Miami star if he could do it. Shaqiri maintains that the atmosphere at Stoke made them very hard to play against, and that he proved he was above the question.

• WHAT SHAQIRI SAID

  Shaqiri told FourFourTwo: "I didn't know about it at first. "I think I showed 
I could do it, many times – 100 per cent. It was very windy there! The wind made it tough for away teams because the corners of the stadium were open.

  “I remember the goalkeeper (Asmir Begovic) scoring one time with a long ball because of the wind! The fans were always behind us. It was a loud stadium with unbelievable support, so it was always difficult to play against Stoke.”

  He also explained how the move to Stoke came about after spells at FC Basel and Bayern Munich, revealing: "It was important for me to have the confidence of the club and the coach, and Mark Hughes really wanted me. A couple of clubs were interested but Stoke gave me the best option to play my game and grow as a player.

  “I was still young [23] and going to the Premier League was always a big dream. I loved being at Stoke. They have a big history, as one of the oldest clubs in the world.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Shaqiri is still playing at the age of 33 and represents FC Basel in his homeland. He is enjoying a stunning season, scoring 16 goals and providing 18 assists in 32 games for the club.

Tags: Futebol
Category: News