Switzerland striker Alexander Frei believes he and his team-mates can do for Swiss football what Martina Hingis and Roger Federer have done for tennis in a country that once only excelled at winter sports.

Frei, who has scored twice so far in the World Cup, will be looking to add to his tally when the Swiss take on Ukraine in Cologne for a place in the quarter-finals.

Frei will not look further ahead than the match at the Mungersdorf stadium but hopes when the dust has settled on the tournament - however far the Swiss go - their feats in Germany will lay down the standard for future Switzerland teams.

"We need to wake up those people who think the Swiss cannot play football," said Frei.

"It's important for us to open the door for the youngsters, the 17-year-olds, so they will have a chance to take things further.

"Certainly we Swiss are beginning to make a reputation for ourselves - we are young and fresh and have confidence in ourselves."

Frei, who scored against Togo and South Korea in Group G matches, insists neither he nor his team-mates will take lightly a Ukraine team that had a superb qualifying campaign but which has looked sluggish at times in their group matches in Germany.

"Whoever plays for them will give their best," said 26-year-old Frei. "Matches like this are really 50-50 games and a small thing could decide the game, maybe even an injury.

"However well you are playing, you also need a little luck to win a game of this importance."

Switzerland coach Kobi Kuhn has admitted his priority is building a team for Euro 2008 where they will be co-hosts with Austria.

However, the team are gaining World Cup momentum and are yet to concede a goal in Germany.

He will have to restructure his defence, however, after a dislocated shoulder in the 2-0 win over South Korea ended the tournament for Philippe Senderos.

The obvious replacement is 19-year-old Johan Djourou, a clubmate of Senderos at Arsenal although Kuhn could also bring back Ludovic Magnin as a centre-back and keep Christoph Spycher, who deputised for Magnin against the Koreans, in Magnin's usual left-back slot.

Switzerland are appearing at the World Cup for the first time since Roy Hodgson's team went to USA 94 and the success of the national side is causing unprecedented scenes back home where the team has captured the imagination of the public.

The Swiss have a huge following in Germany - even German tabloid Bild has dubbed them the best supporters in the tournament - and Frei also was impressed.

"We have many, many more supporters than the other teams," said Frei who has agreed to move to Borussia Dortmund although current club Rennes are holding out for more money. "There are many Swiss people at this World Cup."