Switzerland reached their first FIFA World Cup quarterfinal since 1954 on Tuesday by defeating Colombia in Vancouver. The Europeans held Los Cafeteros to a goalless draw over 120 minutes before Davinson Sanchez and Cucho Hernandez missed from the spot to confirm a Swiss win.
Despite the historic result, the game had little to offer in terms of action. Both teams combined for just five shots on target as defences ruled the roost. No wonder then that fans had to look elsewhere for entertainment, and in Swiss manager Murat Yakin they found the perfect foil.
The 51-year-old was capped 49 times for Switzerland and took over the managerial role in 2021. Under his tutelage, the Nati have qualified for all three major tournaments played since. While his legacy back home was thus already secure, Yakin’s appearance on the sidelines has now transformed him into a global icon.
Boasting a Turkish heritage, Yakin sports medium long hair featuring a classic gray streak neatly swept back in a salt and pepper setup. The voluminous hairdo is complemented with a sharp jawline and clean shaven look, complete with a pair of spectacles.
Safe to say, Yakin looks as far from a traditional football manager as possible. His smart attires, such as the sparkling blue jacket he donned against Colombia over a white t-shirt, only adds to the distinction. It was only a matter of time before his appearance caught the internet’s eye.
A large section of fans online compared Yakin to movie characters.
Not the usual rom-com hero, but a particular nefarious prototype that would feel right at home in a Quentin Tarantino flick, as one X user put it.
A literal Quentin Tarantino character https://t.co/psPzilZx4x
— The Drunk Republican (@DrunkRepub) July 8, 2026
The leap to Scarface was merely inevitable thereafter. A user compared him to the character of drug lord Manny, played by Steven Bauer.
The Swiss coach looks like Manny from Scarface. https://t.co/jhLIdUxBV8
— Vision4theBlind (@Vision4theBlind) July 8, 2026
Perhaps Yakin would appreciate the more vanilla comparison another made, putting him in the shoes of a detective from the 1970s.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin looks like a maverick TV detective from the 1970s.
— James Melville 🚜 (@JamesMelville) July 7, 2026
#COLSUI pic.twitter.com/194M2o98ue
Some viewers saw shades of the protagonist from popular Netflix franchise Money Heist in Yakin, known as the Professor. Played by Alvaro Morte, the character is portrayed as a charismatic heist mastermind, involved in high-level ‘strategy’ much like Yakin.
“The Swiss coach gives off an incredible aura; I see him from tournament to tournament and he looks just like the damn professor from Money Heist. He has a plan and everyone follows it,” read a tweet.
Another X user compared Yakin to one of Hollywood’s highest-grossing actors of all-time, Sylvester Stallone.
The superstar famous for portraying Rocky Balboa became a household name in the 1980s for his work in action flicks.
While it may sound like praise, the comparison did carry a slight caveat that changes the complexion of the comment.
Switzerland’s coach looks like Sylvester Stallone if he sold blow in the 80’s. pic.twitter.com/Dyznic3a2R
— DNP Sports (@notthefakeDNP) July 3, 2026
The cinema slants continued with Makin’s hippie look judged to be akin to an auteur making indie films.
Why does the Swiss soccer coach look like an Italian film director who just debuted his arthouse film at Cannes? 😂 😂 😂 ⚽️ 🥅 #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/dt78NF1uRS
— Tara (@rabidsooner) July 7, 2026
Comparisons with actor Mads Mikkelsen undoubtedly gained the most consensus.
The Dane has played the role of antagonist in some cult-classic movies, such as James Bond’s Casino Royale and Marvel’s Doctor Strange.
i kinda want the swiss to win cuz they have turkish mads mikkelsen for a coach pic.twitter.com/R9nGOmPiVW
— Wilterson Witzky da Silva 🀄 (@ww_dasilva) July 7, 2026
Notably, Mikkelsen was also the main villain in Hideo Kojima’s 2019 game The Death Stranding.
And given he would fit perfectly in the world of the best-selling modern gaming series of all-time Grand Theft Auto, a Yakin mention followed suit.
The Swiss coach looks like he will be in GTA 6 pic.twitter.com/ZefnLRI2Rs
— Toe Knee 🔴⚪️🏆 (@toe_knee_deee) July 8, 2026
Not everyone was as appreciative of Yakin’s look however.
For instance, a user on X stated the manager belongs to the set of Saturday Night Live, the iconic late-night live sketch comedy show.
The Swiss coach looks like an SNL character. pic.twitter.com/prMy5CFCBX
— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) July 3, 2026
Switzerland would hope Yakin’s aura continues to carry them further in the tournament.
The Red Crosses are set to face reigning champions Argentina in the quarterfinal in Kansas on Saturday.
