“Of course Neymar is an exceptional player. It is difficult to hold him back throughout an entire match. Along with Cristiano Ronaldo, he is one of the strongest players in the world. We have to prepare mentally to play against such strong players,” Petkovic told journalists.

He added that Switzerland aimed to not only show a “good game” but to win the match as well.

Switzerland will play their first Group E match against five-time World Cup winner Brazil at Rostov Arena on Sunday and are set to face Serbia on June 22 and Costa Rica on June 27.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will last till July 15, with the games set to be played at 12 stadiums across 11 Russian cities.