SPECIAL BulletinISSUE Spring 2014
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Great Achievements Are Always a Group Effort
It’s the year 1993. Xherdan Shaqiri isn’t e great football achievements of our lit- even two years old and the Swiss national tle country are a perfect example of what football team is in the valley of tears. It has can happen when the conditions are good failed to qualify for a major international and the right mentality is in place. When event for 27 years. at’s when the Swiss the top talents are brought together and Credit Institution – as Credit Suisse was professionally trained. When the willing- known at the time – decided to work close- ness to go the distance and give it one’s all ly with the football association. is was is high. When we work continuously and World Cup qualification 2014: Switzerland celebrates once again. in homage to its deep Swiss roots. ardently on a project. When the team spir- This commitment to the domestic it is right. e whole is more than the sum market is still of central importance for of its individual parts. Great achievements 4× World Cup participation Credit Suisse today, as is our football spon- are always a group eort. (1994, 2006, 2010, 2014) sorship, which now dates back 20 years. We hope you enjoy reading about the e sporting achievements are impressive: history of the Swiss footballing miracle, 3× European Championship With three European Championship qual- and we wish the national team the best of participation ications and four World Cup qualica- luck at the World Cup in Brazil. Hopp (1996, 2004, 2008) tions, the national team is experiencing the Schwiiz! Go Switzerland! most successful era in its history. Equally 1× U17 World champion exciting are the European and world titles Hans-Ulrich Meister (2009) for the U17 juniors and the European run- Head of Private Banking & Wealth ner-up title for the U21s. After all, since Management and Chief Executive Officer 1× U17 European champion the start of our involvement in football, Switzerland Region (2002) half of our sponsorship contribution has been channeled into promoting young 1× U21 European runner-up talent. (2012)
1× Olympics participant (2012)
The Swiss Footballing Miracle – Contents
2 – Everybody’s Talking Football, Football, Football 4 – Switzerland Is on Top of Its Game. The History of a Miracle 11 – Team Roster 12 – Players, Penalties and Payments 14 – Why Swiss Football Is a Success: An Essay 16 – Bend It Like Ramona 18 – Generation Qatar. Talking to Young Talent 23 – The Anniversary Quiz 24 – Our Biggest Fan
Noë Flum photographed the football issue for the Bulletin. He lives and works in Zurich (www.noeflum.ch).
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Photos: Samuel Truempy/Keystone/Photopress — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle — “Everybody’s Talking Football, Football, Football” Xherdan Shaqiri, the face of the Swiss national team, speaks even faster than he can sprint. He sat down with us for a verbal speed drill about the World Cup.
Interview by Michael Krobath and Simon Brunner
“How long can I do kickups? For as long as you like.” (Xherdan Shaqiri)
2 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
herdan Shaqiri, what are your A trip to the World Cup means being cooped Alex Ferguson once said, “A great player rst memories of the World Cup? up in a dorm for weeks on end. How will you requires Balkan-style skills and Swiss e 2002 World Cup in pass the time in Brazil? discipline.” Maybe that’s your answer. It’s X South Korea and Japan. I was It does get monotonous after a while. Ev- simply a good combination. 11 years old at the time and a big fan of erybody’s talking football, football, foot- Brazil’s top goal scorer, Ronaldo. I even ball. I’m part of the table tennis faction. How long can you do kickups? copied his haircut. I had some great matches against Inler in For as long as you like. Even with a tennis South Africa. Lichtsteiner is pretty good, ball. It’s all a matter of concentration. Not that silly one with the shaven-out too. But the name of the person favored triangle on his forehead? to win the World Cup “indoor title” starts Ottmar Hitzfeld credits you with being an Yes, that one. I thought it was incredibly with “S” and ends with “haqiri.” extraordinarily quick learner, saying: cool. “Sometimes, he almost thinks too fast for his Who is going to be your roommate? teammates.” How do you do that? Who is your idol today? I generally share a room with Admir Even under pressure, I see the big picture My favorite defensive player is Brazil’s Mehmedi. We’ve been close friends since and can usually sense where the unmarked David Luiz, and my favorite attacking we played on the under-17 team. man or open space is. It happens complete- player is Argentina’s Lionel Messi. We also spend our vacations together. ly automatically; I just know. He defeated us single-handedly in that 3-1 loss back in 2012. You watch a lot of football, precisely analyzing Ribéry has a lot the other teams and players. Where are What makes him so good? you still not satised with Xherdan Shaqiri as He is everywhere and unpredictable. In of respect for a player? all honesty, the only way to stop him is to He’s not bad, but he needs to score more foul him. But that doesn’t even faze him. Switzerland. goals. He just gets back up and keeps on playing. At the age of 22, you already have 30 inter- And that bothers you? Who is in charge of the remote control? national matches under your belt. Which of Yes. When a player knocks me down and e TV is almost never on. We also very those will you never forget? it hurts, but the ref didn’t see a thing, I nd rarely play video games. Mostly we just e highlights were that incredible goal it pretty hard to keep my cool. talk and we joke around a lot. at is, when against England and my hat-trick against Admir isn’t sleeping, which he does quite Bulgaria. I recently saw Lothar Matthäus, is summer will be your second World Cup often. Bulgaria’s coach at the time, and he said, appearance. Is the team stronger than it was “You scored me out of a job back then.” in 2010? Who is the boss among the national team As a team, we play better and more consis- players? Your current coaches, Ottmar Hitzfeld and tently. We proved that not only by winning We don’t need a boss. We are a tightly-knit Pep Guardiola, are two world-class trainers. against opponents like Brazil and Ger- unit. But, yes, we young players do have What dierences are there between the two? many and qualifying comfortably for the mentors, like Inler, Behrami, and Džemaili, Guardiola comes from a dierent gener- World Cup nals. Our level of training is who get on our cases once in a while. ation and is closer to the younger players. also higher. Almost everybody plays in a Ottmar Hitzfeld is an authority gure, and top foreign league, and the competition is How does such a multicultural team I owe a great deal to him. He made me tougher. at’s what motivates us. communicate? a member of the national team at 18, and Mostly in German. Sometimes you hear recommended me to Bayern Munich’s Your World Cup opponents will be Ecuador, French, Italian, or even a few words board. France and Honduras. Which one do you fear in English. And if there is something the most? Behrami doesn’t understand, I interpret Have you ever thanked him for it? None of them. But it will be very close. Not it into Albanian. I try to do that during every game by just because of France. South Americans giving it my all and performing well. traditionally play a very physical game and Have the players on the national team with are not afraid of hurting the opposition. immigrant parents changed Switzerland? I think we’ve helped create a favorable And how can you stop Franck Ribéry, climate. And we give children of foreign France’s top forward and your Bayern parents hope that they can achieve great Munich teammate? things. at applies to life in general, not Stephan Lichtsteiner and I will probably just football. double-team him on the right side. Xherdan Shaqiri (22) has scored eight goals It won’t be easy for him. Franck has a lot In what way do you have a positive inuence in 30 international matches. He was born in of respect for Switzerland. So does every on the playing eld? Kosovo and won the Champions League in 2013 other Bayern Munich player, by the way. According to some people, legendary coach with Bayern Munich.
Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 3 Switzerland Is on Top of Its Game
Over the past twenty years, few journalists have watched the Swiss national team play as many times as Hansjörg Schifferli. Here, he recounts how three coaches in particular have contributed to the remarkable success of the team. Attack is the best form of defense: Eren Derdiyok in qualifying for the World Cup, Switzerland playing against Norway in Bern in 2012. Is on Top of Its Game
Photo: Peter Klaunzer/Keystone/Photopress — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
he manner in which the players But then came the start of qualifying for the World on the Swiss football team made Cup, with Switzerland clear outsiders in a group fea- their way through qualifying for turing Italy, Portugal, and Scotland. Little by little, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was Hodgson’s methods began to show positive eects – almost businesslike. With a match including the hours of training sessions that he used left to play, their place in the tour- to drill his team in covering the pitch using the 4-4-2 nament was already confirmed. formation. Again and again, the players practiced – When they returned home from “and at some point, it just sticks,” as A lain Sutter once Tirana in October 2013 after their 2-1 victory over said. Sutter, from Bern, and Yvan Quentin, from Albania, the reception at Zurich Airport was cer- Valais, together formed the left wing – one a gifted tainly friendly. Yet it was nothing compared with technician, the other an old-fashioned warhorse, and WORLD CUP the elation that reigned on November 17, 2005, QUALIFYING, 1993 each dependent on the other. when the airport was at risk of bursting at the seams. Marc Hottiger scores in Bern ey represented the pair that most typied Back then, the dramatic playo victory against Tur- to win 1-0 against Italy – Hodgson’s team, which aimed to face higher-ranked key and the extraordinary circumstances of the securing a place in the opponents as a perfectly organized collective. e re- country’s first World Cup in second leg in Istanbul had kept the entire nation 28 years. sults improved ever more until on May 1, 1993, at the on tenterhooks. Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, Swiss football enjoyed Naturally, ghting a spirited duel with France its nest hour in decades. With a 1-0 victory over It- for rst place in the group and then eliminating Tur- aly, the national team secured its ticket to the World key is rather dierent from coming top in a com- Cup. It was the greatest match of goalkeeper Mar- paratively unspectacular group, as was the case this co Pascolo’s career, including a brilliant save against time around. But what this episode makes clear is world-class footballer Roberto Baggio. e winning that Switzerland has become accustomed to the goal was scored by Marc Hottiger after Dino Baggio success of its footballers. Qualication for major had been sent o. In previous years, for an Italian to tournaments is now a matter of course. ere is no be shown an immediate red card for a foul against greater compliment. What happened? And how did the situation end up like this? Over the past twenty years, Switzerland has made it to major tournaments seven times, a feat achieved by only Denmark and Sweden among countries of a similar size. If we take the last ten years, with appearances in ve out of six tourna- ments, Switzerland outperforms even Russia and is on a par with England, the home of football. is level of development is made all the more astonishing by a look back at the period between 1966 and 1994, when Swiss football sank into obliv- ion and an entire generation grew up with the rm conviction that the World Cup and the European Championship always took place without Switzer- land, as the nation failed to qualify for a single tour- nament. But then began the Hodgson era, and with it, a new age of Swiss football. 1994 WORLD CUP, US e Hodgson Era – the Beginning The Swiss footballing miracle begins. Georges Bregy’s When Roy Hodgson became manager of the Swiss Switzerland would have been almost unthinkable. By unforgettable free kick takes national team in January 1992, the news was not ex- the team to a 1-0 lead now, however, the Swiss had begun to be taken more actly greeted with euphoria. e dominant view was against the US. seriously. is was helped by players such as Stéphane that the team had drawn the short straw in its coach Chapuisat, who was a household name among swap with Neuchâtel Xamax. e club from the city even international referees as a striker for Borussia also known as Neuenburg had received Uli Stielike, Dortmund. who had achieved success with the national team but wanted to return to day-to-day business, in exchange e First World Cup Match in 28 Years for Hodgson, who was no longer particularly popular. e time had come: In June 1994, Switzerland played His rst matches were not especially convincing. If its rst World Cup xture in 28 years at the Ponti- Switzerland had not beaten European Championship ac Silverdome in Detroit. With a skillful free kick, favorites France 2-1 in May 1992 thanks to two goals Georges Bregy scored the historic goal to take the from Christophe Bonvin, the Briton would have been lead, and the encounter ended at 1-1. A decent start. in a tough situation. e high point followed a few days later with a 4-1
6 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 Photos: Keystone/Archive; Eric Lafargue/RDB — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
Participation in major tournaments is now a matter of course.
victory over Romania. e Swiss fans in the stadium, numbering well over 10,000, celebrated for the rst time when Alain Sutter made it 1-0 after a quarter of an hour. e fact that he had started the match with a broken little toe on his left foot and scored the goal with his weaker right foot tted perfectly with the legend that was forming in those days. Romania’s 1994 WORLD CUP, US star player Gheorghe Hagi equalized shortly before An outstanding team half-time, but the Swiss came back with a vengeance performance and a hero: after the break, scoring three goals – rst Stéphane ther disappointments, and fourth place in the group Alain Sutter scores with Chapuisat, then Adrian Knup scored twice. In the ended not only qualif ying for the World Cup, but also a broken little toe to make it 1-0 against round of 16, the team bowed out against Spain with- Fringer’s time as manager. Romania. The national team out a chance, but this World Cup is enshrined in the en came Gilbert Gress. e day before his de- eventually wins 4-1. collective memory of Swiss football fans as the come- but against England at Wankdorf, he amused mem- back event for the national team. bers of the media for the rst time when he sought One and a half years later came the nal qual- out a local journalist from Neuchâtel to give him a ifying match for the 1996 European Championship. story. According to Gress, his wife had called him Although the tournament was to be held in his home- and complained that she could not nd the remote land, Roy Hodgson moved to Inter Milan in Decem- control for the TV. It transpired that Gress had tak- ber 1995. Despite his abrupt departure, he achieved en the device with him instead of his mobile phone... hero status in Switzerland as a man who had laid the Failure to qualify for the European Champion- foundations for two successful decades with his dis- ship was less amusing. e team had improved during ciplined playing structure. that time, but what had been thought to be a secure playo place was lost at the last minute when the Ital- e Interim Years – Futile Attempts Hodgson was followed by ve national coaches who shared two characteristics: a lack of success and a short tenure. It was under the Portuguese Artur Jorge, who had led FC Porto to victory in the Euro- pean Cup, that Switzerland traveled to England for Euro 96. e reputation of the taciturn, shy man soon took a beating. His CV featured a period studying in Leipzig, but he never spoke a word of German. He engendered resentment when, shortly before depart- ing for England, he bade a last-minute farewell to veterans Adrian Knup and Alain Sutter – they were not in the squad for the European Championship. e last friendly match against the Czech Republic in Basel was accompanied by tumultuous protests, and Jorge required police protection. After the fail- ure at the European Championship, he immediately resigned and returned to Portugal. He was succeeded by Rolf Fringer, whose de- EUROPEAN CHAMPION- but went down in history as the “Disgrace of Baku.” SHIP QUALIFYING, 1995 National coach Roy e journey to Azerbaijan by luxurious charter ight ians, who had already qualied, lost their nal home Hodgson (center) celebrates had taken forever, while Fringer had spent the night game against Denmark from a 2-0 lead. Gress did in Zurich after an excellent before the match enjoying a long evening by the hotel not stay long, and was temporarily replaced by his qualifying campaign pool. en Murat Yakin missed a penalty and Swit- assistant, Hans-Peter Zaugg, until Argentine Enzo for Euro 96 in England. zerland lost 0-1. is disgrace was followed by fur- Trossero took the helm in August 2000. Having
Photos: Keystone (2) Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 7 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
Despite a lull, decisive things happened at the end of the 90s.
via, in the match that represented the last chance to win a place in the 2002 World Cup, Stéphane Hen- choz and Stéphane Chapuisat walked out on him, oended that they had not been selected. Further cracks became apparent after the 0-4 rout by Rus - sia – this time, between Ciriaco Sforza and Johann Vogel. Kuhn had to be told that he had put too much faith in the good in people. EURO 96, ENGLAND Kubilay Türkyilmaz scores But then, against Austria, in the last friendly failed to qualify for the World Cup, he threw in the the penalty that seals a before the start of qualifying for the 2004 European towel at the end of the season. 1-1 draw with England at Championship, he had an epiphany. Sforza was de- One of his last actions in the job was to replace Wembley Stadium on June 8. nitely no longer an option, while Henchoz and Cha- Despite this, Switzerland Sforza as captain without comment. Sforza had re- finished last in the puisat returned. Above all, however, Kuhn arranged turned for the match against the Faroe Islands after group and leave the tourna- his mideld in a diamond formation for the rst time, a long injury lay-o. en, in Toftir, he arrived in the ment early. with Johann Vogel playing defensive central mideld locker room to see that the captain’s armband was and Hakan Yakin his attacking counterpart. Swit- missing from his kit. Four days later, he sat on the zerland cruised through qualifying with breathtak- bench for the rst time in 74 caps during the match ing ease, suering only one slip-up against Russia. against Slovenia. A second personnel decision also e team took its nal step towards the European helped shape Trossero’s brief time as coach, when Championship on the night before Köbi Kuhn’s 60th he selected a young striker named Alexander Frei birthday. Hakan Yakin and Alex Frei scored the goals to make his debut – the same player who would one that won them a 2-0 victory over Ireland in Basel. day become the national team’s record scorer, with 42 Afterwards, the whole of St. Jakob-Park sang Kuhn goals to his name. a birthday serenade. In terms of results, Switzerland found itself in “We made a few correct decisions,” said Kuhn something of a lull during the late 1990s. One reason before departing for Portugal (probably referring to for this was that many top players had retired after the decision to drop Sforza). e nals were a learn- Euro 96 and there was a lack of new blood. None - ing experience for the Swiss. Although their perfor- theless, something decisive happened: with nancial mances were entirely passable, there was no chance of support from Credit Suisse, which in 1993 became progressing against the cannier English and French the rst major sponsor in the history of the Swiss WORLD CUP teams. e team did write some sidenotes in the his- Football Association, a new training structure was QUALIFYING, 2005 tory books, namely 18-year-old Johan Vonlanthen’s Switzerland qualified for the being implemented during those years. Under the 2006 World Cup in the record as the youngest player ever to score at the aegis of technical director Hansruedi Hasler, profes- play-offs against Turkey. European Championship, or the “spitting incident” sional structures for youth development using full- The away game ended in involving Alex Frei. violence and went down time coaches were created. is was an investment in history as the “scandal of All of this had been forgotten by the time Swit- that was to pay o in the long term. Istanbul.” zerland came to prepare for the World Cup in Ger- many two years later. e team had developed into a e Kuhn Era – a Dicult Transition cohesive unit and was very di¹cult to beat. Having On the day when Köbi Kuhn was to move from his spent many years as a youth coach, Kuhn often se- position as U21 national coach to be appointed as lected younger players when in doubt. Of his former head coach of his original club, FC Zürich, he re - U21 team, which had marched to the seminals of ceived the oer to take over the national team. He the 2002 European Championship, Alex Frei, Ri- took the job without hesitation, to the delight of the cardo Cabanas, Ludovic Magnin and Daniel Gygax Swiss public. Yet in May 2002, after a 1-3 defeat to a had already been in the senior squad for some time. struggling Canadian team at the end of Kuhn’s rst ey were now joined by Tranquillo Barnetta and year, he said “I’m glad that the sheen has worn o Philippe Senderos from the European Champion- somewhat.” He made this remark after his “family,” ship-winning U17 team. as he liked to call the national team, had caused him a e 2006 World Cup began with a respectable few problems. Following the defeat against Yugosla- 0-0 draw with France. is was followed by victory
8 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 Photos: Colorsport/imago; Aykut Akici/Turkpix/Scanpix/Keystone — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
over Togo in Dortmund on June 19, 2006. “You will fore took every opportunity to reiterate: “It is never a never experience this again – an international match foregone conclusion that the small footballing nation in front of so many Swiss fans,” Kuhn had told his of Switzerland will qualify for a major tournament.” players beforehand. And he was right. When refer- He managed it in two out of three attempts – ee Carlos Amarilla from Paraguay blew the starting via indirect methods that would almost never have whistle at 3:00 pm that hot Monday afternoon, every been thought possible. His era is characterized by an one of the 65,000 seats in the Westfalenstadion was emotional rollercoaster. ere was the embarrass- occupied – roughly 50,000 of them by Swiss fans. ing home defeat against Luxembourg and the World ey built a “red wall” on the terraces and created 2006 WORLD CUP, Cup victory over later trophy-winners Spain. First an atmosphere as never before. anks to goals from GERMANY came resentment, then effusive jubilation, which Switzerland wins 2-0 in the Alex Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta, the end result was group match against Togo at quickly ebbed again when the team had to leave the right as well. the Westfalenstadion in World Cup camp in Johannesburg after a 0-0 draw Four days later, 20,000 Swiss were just as en- Dortmund. 50,000 Swiss with Honduras. “We were unlucky at the wrong mo- thusiastic in Hanover, celebrating long into the night fans create a once-in-a-life- ment,” remarked Hitzfeld. Bad luck in a key game time atmosphere. against Chile with the early red card for Valon Beh- rami, which he thinks was wrong to this day. Yet for all the misfortune, the fact that in three World Cup matches, Switzerland scored only a single goal against Spain made it clear that despite some prog- ress, it was still a “nation of defenders.” Today, three and a half years later, some things are dierent. In Champions League winner Xher- dan Shaqiri and former U17 World Cup winners Granit Xhaka and Haris Seferovic, as well as Valen- tin Stocker, Switzerland has young attacking play- ers who can make a much more creative game. A 5-3 win over Germany, something not achieved for over half a century, and a 4-2 victory in Croatia were outstanding results, even if only in friendly games. Meanwhile, in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the Swiss showed fresh qualities. ey won their group in style and without a single defeat. ey have a good goalkeeper in Diego Benaglio; they often defend well; but above all, they have the potential to after a 2-0 victory over South Korea saw the team score goals in every match. qualify for the round of 16. Yet there, an exhausted Ottmar Hitzfeld has succeeded in making the national team was defeated on penalties by a relative- EURO 2008, breakthrough that was due when the two veteran SWITZERLAND ly harmless Ukraine in the blazing heat of Cologne. The team makes a premature strikers from Basel, Frei and Streller, retired in the Not a single penalty (of three) went in. However, on exit from its home European middle of qualifying for the 2012 European Cham- the whole, the World Cup result was a positive one, Championship. Despite pionship. Although it was too late to make up for and the experts predicted that the nest hour of this this, Köbi Kuhn is celebrated the false start and the European Championship like no coach before at his young team with great potential for development farewell match. would not come for two years anyway – at the 2008 European Championship, at home in Switzerland. Yet the Kuhn era ended with di¹cult times. Five days before the opening game of the European Championship, his wife was admitted to the hospi- tal; in the match itself, his star striker Alex Frei was injured shortly before half-time, and after the sur- prise defeat against Turkey in the next xture, his departure was sealed. After one last victory against Portugal, the fans bade a more emotional farewell to Kuhn than had ever been seen for a national coach.
e Hitzfeld Era – A New Attacking Approach Ottmar Hitzfeld was preceded by a reputation as an international coach who brought success wherever he went during his 25-year career. e German saw the danger of too much being expected of him and there-
Photos: Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo/Keystone; Laurent Gilliéron/Keystone Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 9 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle — chance was missed, the qualifying games were of The World Cup will enormous value in developing the youngest Swiss na- tional team of all time. It demonstrated its great po- be the major test tential for the rst time in June 2011 in the 2-2 draw with England, featuring newcomers Granit Xhaka of maturity for this and Xherdan Shaqiri. Over the past ve years, Ottmar Hitzfeld’s im- generation, so gifted mense experience with di¹cult moments has stood him in good stead. His team has repeatedly won cru- in offensive play. cial matches. In qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, it was 2-1 in Greece after the disgrace suered at the 2010 WORLD CUP, e last twenty years represent the most successful hands of Luxembourg; in qualifying for Brazil 2014, SOUTH AFRICA period in Swiss footballing history so far. In these things did not look good after the 4-4 draw against Switzerland makes sporting two decades, the national team has been some - Iceland – but four days later, Switzerland secured the history, beating later World what constant rather than throwing the dice and Cup winners Spain 1-0 points they needed with a 2-0 victory in Norway. “He (picture shows goalscorer winning big – unlike Denmark or Greece, both of is at his best under pressure,” says Peter Stadelmann, Fernandes with Barnetta). which outperformed themselves and became Eu- delegate to the national team, of Ottmar Hitzfeld. ropean champions. In contrast to countries such as e man himself explains matter-of-factly: “In this Sweden (Zlatan Ibrahimović) or Portugal (Cristiano Ronaldo), Switzerland has never relied on star play- ers, but always had a strong collective. Its rise to be- come a “minor major power” in football is thanks to the establishment of rst-class promotion of young talent and three very dierent but highly capable national coaches. Now, the World Cup in Brazil is just around the corner. It will be the rst major test of maturity for this generation, so gifted in oensive play. ey are being entrusted with writing a new chapter in the history of the Swiss footballing miracle.
CELEBRATORY VIDEO
Credit Suisse asked current and former national players about the Swiss footballing miracle. You can watch them tell their best anecdotes at www.credit-suisse.com/football
WORLD CUP QUALIFYING, 2013 Valon Behrami during the sort of situation, you have to keep a cool head. I don’t 2-0 victory over Norway in need to see heads roll in order to have success.” is Oslo. A highlight of a attitude is symbolized by the fact that for the match confident qualifying cam- against Norway, with one exception, he put his faith paign by the Swiss. in the same players that had “failed” against Iceland.
1965 to Present – Epilogue Elsener, Grobéty, Tacchella, Schneiter, Stierli, Dürr, Hosp, Daina, Quentin, Schindelholz and Köbi Kuhn – these are the names of the players of the Swiss team that won the World Cup qualifying match in Tirana in 1965. When Köbi Kuhn returned there as national team manager 37 years later, his players were: Stiel, Hansjörg Schifferli is the editor of Winter- Haas, Murat and Hakan Yakin, Müller, Magnin, thurer Landbote and works for the NZZ. Cabanas, Vogel, Wicky, Frei and Chapuisat. And in He has missed barely a single match since Albania in October 2013, Ottmar Hitzfeld deployed 1980, attended six World Cup and eight the following lineup: Benaglio, Lang, Schär, von WORLD CUP European Championship final rounds, and QUALIFYING, 2013 reported live on at least 325 national games. Bergen, Rodriguez, Behrami, Inler, Shaqiri, Xhaka, “International coach” Ottmar His personal “greatest hits” include: Victory over Romania at Stocker and Seferovic. Little illustrates demographic Hitzfeld shows the national the 1994 World Cup (best game); the solo goal by Kubilay development in Swiss football better than the names team the way (during Türkyilmaz against Bulgaria in 1991 (best moment); Stéphane of the players on these three teams. the 4-4 draw with Iceland). Chapuisat (best player).
10 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 Photos: Peter Klaunzer/Keystone; Hakon Mosvold Larsen/EPA/Keystone; Salvatori Di Nol/Keystone/Photopress; Private — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
Team Line-Up MY TEAM National coach Ottmar Hitzfeld gives us a rundown of the strengths and characteristics of the team members who easily clinched a place in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.*
DIEGO BENAGLIO (31) Goalkeeper, 54 Intl., 720 Min., 0 G. A world-class goalie, as he proved once more during the World Cup qualifying match, when he blocked numerous “unblockable” shots. A big team player and exemplary vice-captain. During Inler’s suspension, he was an ideal replacement for the match against Iceland. Before the game, he gave a brief but very good pep talk.
STEPHAN JOHAN DJOUROU (27) VON BERGEN (31) Center back, STEPHAN Center back, 42 Intl., 593 Min., 1 G. RICARDO LICHTSTEINER (30) 39 Intl., 810 Min., 0 G. Solid as a rock, unbelievably RODRIGUEZ (21) Fullback, The core of the Swiss defense, good in the air, and has an Fullback, 60 Intl., 720 Min., 4 G. he can sense potential threats excellent forward pass. Pleasant 18 Intl., 810 Min., 0 G. He lives and breathes before they manifest themselves. to be around and always smiling, A modern defender with a lot football and puts in extra time He has a strong character and which is very important for team of qualities on offense. The in the gym. Thanks to his iron can do what needs to be done at spirit. And very reliable, which is kind of player that’s hard to will, he has won several the right time. He’s reserved but crucial for the coach. find nowadays. Member of championships as a defender speaks up on specific issues the “Wild Boys,” who won in Italy, which is the epitome when he thinks it’s called for. the under-17 world champi- of defensive skill. An out- onship in 2009. All of them standing player, member are full of emotion, have a of the players’ council, simply zest for life, thirst for action, a model professional. and are full of confidence. That influence does the VALON BEHRAMI (28) GÖKHAN INLER (29) national team good. Midfielder, Midfielder, 45 Intl., 756 Min., 2 G. 70 Intl., 810 Min., 6 G. Extremely good in a duel and My ideal captain. Not a loves teamwork. He runs enough natural media spokesman, but he XHERDAN for two, makes up for his team- is very genuine and the perfect VALENTIN SHAQIRI (22) mates’ mistakes and senses mid-field policeman. He creates STOCKER (24) Midfielder, where the danger is. He’s our a true esprit de corps and has Midfielder, 30 Intl., 745 Min., 8 G. insurance policy at mid-field. the backs of the younger players. 21 Intl., 465 Min., 3 G. Clever, sly, and loves Over the past two years, he has People underestimate his skill It’s easy to forget how young to play. Perfect technique, matured into a leader. Doesn’t level. His competitive spirit is he still is. Has won several good in front of the goal, play as recklessly as he used to. exemplary, and he’s extremely championships with Basel brilliant at preparing shots on He and Inler keep the younger important for our stability. and is already well sea- goal, sometimes almost immigrant players under control. soned. A smart guy and thinks too fast for his team- passionate player. He’s mates. Makes us unpredict- aware of the heavy competi- able. His actions can be the tion on the national team and deciding factor in winning GRANIT XHAKA (21) has his emotions better in a match. I am confident he Midfielder, 23 Intl., 746 Min., 4 G. check than with FC Basel. can become a regular player Opinion leader among the younger players with clear intentions. Appears A straightforward player and for Bayern Munich. unspectacular but has true class. A highly intelligent player, excellent constant scoring threat. technique, and excels at opening up play. Has room for improvement on final passes and scoring moves. Has a big career ahead of him if he keeps working on himself. * These 11 players spent the most amount of time on the pitch during the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign. HARIS SEFEROVIC (22) Forward, 9 Intl., 446 Min., 1 G. Intl.: International games Just like all the under-17 world champions, he’s very self-confident (see Min.: Playing time during Rodriguez). An all-round “pretend” center forward. Blocks well, is good 2014 World Cup qualification in the air, has a killer left-foot kick, sets up goal shots well. He’s got a lot of G: Number of goals scored for talent, but he lacks maturity. Still needs to work hard on himself; can’t let up. the national team
Photos: Gaetan Bally/Keystone/Photopress (5); Peter Schneider/Keystone/Photopress (6); Walter Bieri/Keystone/Photopress Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 11 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle — Players, Penalties and Payments
Which haircuts were unforgettable? Which canton had the most players in the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign? Which players cost the most? Some key facts, plus a few more, about the Swiss national teams of the past 20 years.
Ole Häntzschel (infographic)
CANTONS Cantons where the current national players were born. If born outside Switzerland, then the first Swiss canton of residence.
1 Basel- 3 Land Basel City WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS 2 Stats from the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. 1 Solothurn 6Zurich Neu- châtel
2 1 Schwyz 3 Vaud St. Gallen 1 Valais 5 Lucerne 2 3 Geneva Ticino Hardest player Most fouled player Players with longest Gökhan Inler Valon Behrami time on the pitch 22 19 Ricardo Rodriguez, (the European player with the Steve von Bergen, fourth largest number of fouls) Gökhan Inler 810 FIFA WORLD RANKING Switzerland’s ranking under individual coaches. 3. 8./ 1993 7. 8. 12. 1994 12. 2013 1993 18. 17. 18. 17. 2012 1995 2006 24. 2009 22. 2011 2008 2010 35. 2005 44. 44. 44. 47. 47. 2002 2003 2007 1996 1999 51. 58. 2004 62. 2000 63. 1997 2001
83. 1998
Roy Hodgson Artur Rolf Gilbert Gress Enzo Köbi Kuhn Ottmar Hitzfeld Jorge Fringer Trossero
UNFORGETTABLE HAIRSTYLES Turning heads. A look at some curious hairdos.
Adrian Hakan Gökhan Pascal Alain Valon Stéphane Ricardo Knup Yakin Inler Zuberbühler Sutter Behrami Chapuisat Rodriguez
12 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL LINE-UP THE GOAL THAT TOOK CAMPAIGN RECORD The 66 players on the roster of national team coach SWITZERLAND TO BRAZIL Players, Penalties and Payments Ottmar Hitzfeld and their origins (as of end of 2013). Players with the most international In the 77th minute against games of all time. Albania, Michael Lang scored United 1 1 Germany Kingdom the goal that qualified International matches Goals Switzerland for the World Cup Heinz Hermann in Brazil. Croatia 28 Switzer- Bosnia and land Herzegovina Turkey
1 Alain Geiger 3 Spain 2 1 1 1 Tunisia 3 3 Cape Verde 10 Dominican Italy 1 Republic 1 Macedonia Stéphane Chapuisat Nigeria 1 Ivory Coast 6 Colombia 1 Dem. Rep. 1 of the Congo Kosovo Uruguay
Least time on Second yellow card Player with Offside most often Current player who has the pitch Tranquillo Barnetta the most goals Valentin Stocker been in the most Timm Klose 1 Xherdan Shaqiri and Haris Seferovic World Cup matches 2 (in the 75th min. 10 4 Tranquillo Barnetta (in two matches!) against Slovenia) 7
RECORD GOALS MOST EXPENSIVE SWISS PLAYERS Players scoring these milestones Transfer in millions of francs
100 1000 24 14,5 13,3 12,7 12,5 1 500 Gökhan Xherdan Blerim Patrick Stephan Inler Shaqiri Džemaili Müller Lichtsteiner First goal 100th goal 500th goal 1000th goal 2011 2012 2011 2000 2011 May 8, 1908 June 5, 1924 May 2, 1965 October 10, Udinese Calcio -> FC Basel -> FC Parma -> Grasshoppers -> S.S. Lazio -> Adolf Max Köbi 2009 SSC Neapel FC Bayern Munich SSC Napoli Olympique Lyon Juventus Turin Frenken Abegglen Kuhn Benjamin Huggel
LEGENDARY SHIRTS The Swiss haven’t always played in red and white. A selection of shirts since 1993.
10 10 10 10 10 10 10
1993 1996 1998 1999 2006 2006 2010 2013 (1 match) (1 match)
Sources: fifa.com, sport.ch, transfermarkt.de, uefa.com, NZZ, Tages-Anzeiger, Blick, Basler Zeitung and independent research Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 13 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
Why Swiss Football Is a Success
The ascent of a nation of skiers to become a country with a competitive football culture is astonishing, but no accident. What’s still missing is a little ingenuity. An analysis by award-winning British football writer Simon Kuper.
On December 4, 1898, Switzerland played that having twice as much experience in the 1980s did the national team manage to its first international football match in international matches as the opponent win more than a third of its matches, and Basel. As described in 50 Jahre Schweiz- equates to an advantage of more than half that was the 1940s, when most of its Eu - erischer Fussball- und Athletikverband a goal. By contrast, double the population ropean opponents had certain other things 1895–1945 (50 Years of the Swiss to worry about. Football and Athletics Associa- Yet lately, Switzerland has tion, 1895–1945), an anniversa- been beneting from another of ry publication that takes pride of its historical advantages – name- place in my library, it was a truly ly, its central geographical loca- “international” encounter, as sev- tion. It is surrounded by three of eral English and German play- the world’s leading footballing ers numbered among the Swiss nations – Germany, France, and eleven. e Swiss won the match Italy – and the transfer of knowl- against a team of selected players edge has come along apace in from southern Germany 3-1. recent years. Since the 1980s, One might wonder what is so globalization has aected Swit- interesting about that, but this ear- zerland as well. Immigrants from ly start explains why Switzerland footballing nations came to the is in such a good position in foot- country, and their children – balling terms nowadays. For our known as “secondos” in Switzer- book Soccernomics, British sports land – had more interest in foot- economist Stefan Szymanski and I ball than in winter sports. More identied three factors that can be and more foreign television chan- used to make a reasonable prediction of a or double the per-capita income represents nels began to broadcast football matches to national team’s chances of success: an advantage of only around one tenth of a Switzerland. After 1995, when European goal. e value of experience explains why footballers were allowed to play anywhere 1 — The country’s population: The great- Switzerland is better at football than large in Europe thanks to the Bosman ruling, er the pool of potential players, the better. but inexperienced nations such as China increasing numbers of Swiss players gained 2 — Wealth: Richer countries generally do or India. experience playing abroad. In addition, the better than poor nations because they have clubs professionalized their youth coach- more money available for sports facilities, e Transformation in the 1980s ing and the Swiss Football Association medical supplies and coaches. So Switzerland has been gathering inter- followed the French model in opening the 3 — Experience: The more international national football experience since 1898, Credit Suisse Academies – “centers of ex- games a country has played, the better its but for a long time, it had little success in cellence” for young talent. track record. the sport. For decades, it was a country fo- Although these innovations have cused primarily on skiing. In an interna- yet to yield a true footballing legend, they Of these three factors, experience is the tional context, its footballers were some - have produced dozens of players who pos- most important. Using a database of thou- thing of a quantité négligeable. According sess the cardinal virtues of European foot- sands of international matches, we found to our statistics, only in one decade before ball – power, pace, tactical discipline and
14 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 Illustration: Jörn Kaspuhl — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
team spirit. During preparations for the 2006 World Cup, Germany played against Study a youth team from Geneva. The young TOP EXPORT: FOOTBALLERS MADE IN SWITZERLAND players, brimming with condence, did not concede a single goal until the 25th When Xherdan Shaqiri completed his transfer from clubs that pick up significantly more points on aver- minute. The Swiss have created a foot- FC Basel to Bayern Munich in summer 2012 for a age per match than those of the Swiss (1.43). Swit- balling culture. sum believed to be in the region of 15 million Swiss zerland’s presence in Italy is particularly impressive, e only problem comes when they francs, it was not just a momentous day for the mid- where four Swiss players are among the stars at attack – such as on home soil at Euro 2008, fielder from a modest background. The transfer also two top clubs, Juventus Turin (Stephan Lichtstein- when they resembled sheep dancing to hip- symbolized the growing demand for football players er) and Napoli (Gökhan Inler, Blerim Dzemaili, and hop and were knocked out of the tourna- “made in Switzerland.” Valon Behrami). ment after just four days. Yet in their own This is a trend backed up by the Swiss Football Study The Swiss Football Study also dispels a common way, they are masters. eir 1-0 victory by the Football Observatory of the International Cen- misconception. It disproves the widespread notion over Spain at the last World Cup was the tre for Sports Studies (CIES). It reports that with 35 that Swiss footballers abroad are “bench-warmers” high point of Swiss football to date. players, Switzerland was sixth in last season’s list of or “squad players” who rarely see any action at their countries providing footballers to the so-called “Big clubs. The Swiss are in fact also among the top per- Honing eir Skills Abroad Five” – the top five European leagues*. Even more formers in terms of time on the pitch. The 34 Swiss No wonder numerous foreign clubs are astonishingly, this means that per million inhabitants, professionals played 40.6 minutes per match on av- now recruiting Swiss footballers. Last sea- Switzerland exports more footballers than any other erage in the first half of the season, which is only son, 35 Swiss played in Europe’s ve top country except Uruguay (see chart)! slightly less than the Brazilians (41.2 minutes). leagues (see right); this season, the gure The study reveals that Switzerland has emerged as is 41 – a record. Raaele Poli, director of At Europe’s Most Successful Clubs a leading nation for developing young talent over the Football Observatory at the Universi- Another interesting result produced by the study is the past two decades. A select group of around 30 ty of Neuchâtel’s International Centre for that Swiss players usually play for successful clubs. Swiss players (under-15 to under-21) are already at Sports Studies, points out that only Uru- Of the ten countries with the most footballers play- the youth academies of foreign clubs awaiting their guay exports more footballers per capita. ing abroad, only the Belgians (1.52 points) play for opportunities to join the professionals. And as players at famous foreign clubs, the Swiss footballers are perfecting their Eu- FOREIGN FOOTBALLERS IN EUROPEAN LEAGUES ropean qualities. The results speak for themselves. Origin of foreign players in the Big Five** Relative to population*** From 1990 to 2010, the national team won Number of players (number per million inhabitants) 43 percent of its matches. ese days, Swit- (top 20, first half of the 2012/2013 season) zerland regularly qualies for international tournaments. And at those tournaments, 1. Brazil 120 1. Uruguay 9.17 the Swiss are masters of the mixed zone, 2. Argentina 98 2. Switzerland 4.25 the area in which journalists direct their 3. France 91 3. Serbia 4.08 questions to the players. e Swiss can an- 4. Spain 37 4. Denmark 3.40 swer in almost every language, and as elo- 5. Netherlands 36 5. Portugal 3.22 quently as if they were the football team 6. Switzerland 34 6. Argentina 2.40 from a rst-class language school. Now all Portugal 34 7. Belgium 2.16 they need is to pick up a little Brazilian air 8. Uruguay 31 8. Netherlands 2.15 and collect a couple of international titles. 9. Serbia 29 9. Czech Rep. 2.10 When you think about how far they have 10. Belgium 24 10. Austria 2.00 come in twenty years, you certainly can’t 11. Chile 22 Sweden 2.00 rule it out. 12. Czech Rep. 22 12. France 1.43 13. Germany 21 13. Senegal 1.37 14. Colombia 19 14. Chile 1.26 Denmark 19 15. Spain 0.80 Sweden 19 16. Côte d’Ivoire 0.77 17. Senegal 18 17. Cameroon 0.72 18. Austria 17 18. Brazil 0.62 19. Côte d’Ivoire 16 19. Colombia 0.40 20. Germany 0.26
Simon Kuper (45) is a columnist for the Financial * Only players who have appeared in league matches in these championships are included in the study. Times and author of several award-winning books The cut-off date for this study was December 3, 2012. about football, including Soccernomics. ** 1. Bundesliga, Serie A, Premier League, Ligue 1, Primera Division (La Liga) The German version was published as Warum England immer verliert [Why England Always *** Source: PRB 2012 Loses], Edition Tiamat, Berlin 2012.
Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 15 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
Bend It Like Bachmann
Over the past decade, Swiss women’s football has made tremendous progress. And Ramona Bachmann is now an international superstar.
By Michael Krobath
16 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
weden’s Damallsvenskan all- center oered Bachmann the opportunity ejected from the eld in his internation- female football division is the to train under professional conditions. Af- al debut only a few seconds after kick-o.) epicenter of ladies’ football. ter t wo years and following graduation from Outspoken ambition and a volatile temper- When it sent 49 players to school, she spent six months playing for SC ament characterized her career for a long Sthe 2013 European Cham- LUwin.ch in Lucerne. en she went for time. She never kept her opinion to herself, pionship, it had more representatives there broke. She abandoned her traineeship as a declaring early on that she wanted to be the than any other European league. Last Oc- logistics clerk and moved to Umeå at the best in the world someday. People some- tober, it was time to pick the season’s most times interpreted that as arrogance. valuable player. e award went to neither Since Martina Voss-Tecklenburg took Germany’s legendary striker, Anja Mittag, “She is completely over the reins in 2012, Ramona has matured nor Spain’s precision player, Veronica Bo - into a leader. “Her willingness to run and quete. Five-time World Player of the Year, unpredictable and her defensive skills have improved tremen- Marta, also got passed by. Instead, the of- can do things that dously,” says the national head coach. “To- ficials chose Ramona Bachmann from day, she bends over backwards for the team, Malters in the Canton of Lucerne. With her no one else can.” and her level of acceptance has soared.” outstanding performances, the 22-year-old Bachmann has now played in 50 matches midelder led LdB FC Malmö to a surprise for Switzerland, scoring 27 goals. Togeth- championship title, beating out Tyresö FF, tender age of 16. e Swedish town, located er with seasoned Champions League win- the overwhelming favorite. 400 km south of the Arctic Circle, had one ner Lara Dickenmann, she has become the “To me, she is the best female play- of the best teams in the world at the time. poster child for the youngest and probably er in the world today,” says Jonas Eidevall, An average of 2,000 spectators made the most talented Swiss team of all time. ey Malmö’s coach. e Swiss national team’s pilgrimage to each match. e squad con- are the rst generation to have beneted coach, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, de- sisted of 20 professionals from six nations. from the improvements made in the infra- clares: “Switzerland has an international su- One of them was the previously mentioned structure of Swiss women’s football while perstar without even realizing it.” Ramona Marta, a.k.a. “Pelé in a skirt.” e Brazil- they were junior players. Most of them Bachmann is undoubtedly an exceptional ian was given the job of taking the teenager are now playing for strong leagues outside athlete, the likes of which Swiss men’s foot- from Switzerland under her wing. “It didn’t Switzerland. ball has never had. Not a female Shaqiri, but take a lot of explaining,” recalls Bachmann. e national team is well on its way to more like a female Messi – as they like to “I just wanted to be better than she was at its rst qualication for a major internation- call her in Sweden because of the similari- every practice.” al tournament. With four victories in four ties in playing style between Bachmann and In the shadow of a superstar, she matches, including two away wins against the Argentine super dribbler. quickly matured into a top performer. Over the strong teams from Iceland and Den- the next four years, her 40 goals in 71 games mark, Switzerland has gotten o to a per- Age 16: Sweden or Bust contributed signicantly to two champion- fect start for 2015 World Cup qualication. Bachmann’s road to international stardom ship titles. Her engagement was interrupt- e World Cup in Canada would be a great was only natural. At least from her point of ed only by a brief stint playing for the US opportunity for the wunderkind from Lu- view as a little girl. When her mother went league’s Atlanta Beat. She has been under cerne to demonstrate her playing skills on to work, she accompanied her father, a for- contract with Malmö since 2012. football’s world stage. It would also give her mer player in the Swiss Nationalliga B and It is a true experience seeing Bach- a chance to nally be considered for best coach for the local club, to practice each day. mann in action. e YouTube clip “Swiss player in the world. At the age of ve, she started playing with Magician” shows why: speed dribbling, FC Malters herself. She found herself on fancy tricks, solo runs across half the eld, the boys’ squad since there was not a girls’ and spectacular goals from every position. team in the region. “I always had my ball Only 1.62 meters tall, this exceptionally Women’s Football with me, even at home in the living room,” skilled athlete celebrates the game of foot- GIRLS’ SOCCER IS BOOMING she remembers. “I was never interested in ball with innite ease. “With the ball at anything else.” At the start of one summer her feet, she is probably the fastest women’s Women’s football is growing rapidly in Swit- vacation, her father oered her a reward player in the world,” states Malmö coach zerland. In 1970, there were a total of just of 100 Swiss francs if she could do “kick- Eidevall with conviction. “She does things 270 licensed female players. At the turn of ups” with the ball 100 times before the no other woman can do,” says national team the millennium, that number had risen to vacation was over. Five weeks later, she did coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. “She can 7,000. Today, there are over 22,000, making it. She was eight years old at the time. easily dribble past not just one, but even football one of the most popular sports When the Swiss Football Associa- three opponents.” among women in Switzerland. The surge is tion opened the Credit Suisse Academy in reflected in the first major successes for ju- Huttwil, a training center for talented fe - Red Card in Her First International nior teams. The under-20 squad has already male football players, Ramona Bachmann At 16, Ramona Bachmann played her rst made it to a World Cup twice. Credit Suisse was part of the rst class to attend. “Hut- international match. Just 17 minutes into supports the senior national team, the ju- twil was a school of life. It wasn’t easy to the game, the referee showed her the red nior teams and the Credit Suisse Academy leave home at the age of 13,” she says. e card. (Side note: Lionel Messi was also in Biel.
Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 17 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
Initiation ritual for the Footuro program: U19 national player Samuele Campo undergoes a medical exam by physiotherapist Stephan Meyer in Magglingen.
18 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 Generation Qatar The national team owes its success to an innovative program for young talent. The future holds the same in store: Meet the new Swiss order.
By Michael Krobath
Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 19 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
It’s a crystal-clear winter morning at the Swiss Medical Center in Magg- lingen, and a big day for Samuele Campo. e 18-year-old mid elder Ifrom FC Basel with razor-sharp technique and unwavering focus has just learned of his acceptance to the “Footu- ro” project. As of now, he’s one of about 25 “high potentials” between the ages of 17 and 21 that the Swiss Football Asso- Marko Drakul, 17 ciation (SFV) has chosen to promote as Defender a potential member of the senior nation- al team. While his fellow team members on the U19 national team are being test- ed on their vertical jumps in the gymna- sium next door, Campo is undergoing the “Footuro” initiation ritual in the high- tech Swiss Olympic Medical Center. For some 90 minutes, his body will be tested and measured down to the last detail by head physiotherapist Stephan Meyer. “It means the world to me to be a Footuro player,” says the shy Campo happily as he leaves the Medical Center two hours later. “It shows that they are counting on me.” While the national team prepares The U19s taking a vertical jump test. for the World Cup in Brazil, the young talent trainers of the SFV are carefully engineering its future success. ey are in charge of training a competitive gen- eration of players that will form the heart of the national team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. e young talent coaches apply an internationally renowned training model established in the 1990s (see box) that has brought incredible success to Switzerland since then: the U17 European Champi - we have to make the most of each tal - is because for years, Switzerland has been onship title in 2002, the historic World ented player.” To secure its spot at Eu - among Europe’s top ten for the U17s in Cup victory for the U17s in 2009 and the ropean Championship and World Cup the UEFA ranking. However, the U19s most recent triumph, second place in the competitions in future as well, the SFV and U21s are between 10th and 25th, U21 European Championship in 2011. has only one choice. It must innovate, respectively. “An analysis showed that More than any trophy, the coaches are innovate, innovate. elite training must be more holistic,” proud of the fact that seven players from With this awareness, it has made says Dany Ryser. e U17 World Cup the U21 team have made it to the national improvements to all levels of its “train- coach works with the U16s now and is in team. at, after all, is hard currency in ing pyramid” in recent years. It started by charge of Footuro. “ We used to focus only their business. creating a national youth football concept on athletic training, but today Footuro for the youngest players. e “Foot eco” also includes medical and psychologi- Potential from 17 to 21 project was launched for the 11–14-year- cal support, along with career planning Of course, Swiss football has the same is- olds to mark the transition to strategic assistance.” sue that other industries have: e com- talent promotion. It took the “relative age In the medical eld, greater atten- petition never sleeps and is happy to copy eect” into account for any “late-year ba- tion is paid to stamina and speed, which a model for success. More importantly, bies” using a quota. is refers to the phe- are becoming more and more critical. due to Switzerland’s small population, nomenon of players born in the rst few “Many who made the national team ten the pool of talent is very limited. “Un - months of a year who are overrepresented years ago wouldn’t stand a chance today,” til the age of 18 there are a maximum of in junior team picks due to their more ad- says Markus Tschopp. e head of sports 15 to 20 candidates in all of Switzerland vanced physical development. physiology, strength and competitive that make it to the national team at best,” e focus is now greater on the top sports in Magglingen and his team ex- says U18 coach Heinz Moser, “that’s why of the pyramid, the 17–21-year-olds. is amine the key factors behind speed and
20 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
Samuele Campo, 18 Deni Kadoic, 17 Midfielder Defender
The U19s test the strength of their torso muscles.
create a special training recommendation ly practice sessions. Not everyone is this yourself better,” says the 18-year old from meant to give each player more speed devoted, which is why players are elimi- FC Luzern. “If something doesn’t work and endurance. nated from the program on a regular ba- today, I send fewer negative signals and sis. Football, after all, is also in the mind. waste less energy.” Football Is in the Mind “You need absolute conviction, I would Shani Tarashaj, a center forward in the even say arrogance, to keep up with the Departure from Vocational Training style of Wayne Rooney (brawny, ag - best,” says Peter Knäbel, the technical di- e Swiss coaches also have to rethink gressive, goal-hungry), has beneted as rector of the SFV. He states with con- the aspect of vocational training, which well. Until the age of 14 he played with dence, “We have the potential to improve they long considered to be compatible the Zurich club FC Red Star, when his in terms of mental stamina.” One step with football. Now, says Heinz Moser, skills caught the eye of FC Basel and taken in this direction is the involvement they have realized: “When we go against FC Zurich. Ultimately the Grasshop- of a sports psychologist in the Footuro the U18s in Spain or Germany, then we pers won out, where the U19 national program. Take, for instance, Omar ali, have 11 amateurs versus 11 pros. We can’t player is already among the pros. Footu- who grew up in Zug with an Egyptian help but miss out.” is is why Swiss tal- ro tests revealed weaknesses in his torso father and a Swiss mother. He looks like ent should also become young profession- and his stamina. anks to personalized AC Milan striker El Sharawy and plays als, or at least attend special schools that coaching, he improved in every area. “My like him, too: lightning-fast, explosive and allow enough time for sports. Take, for physical readiness is better on the eld eager to score. U19 national coach Gérard instance, the sports class at the business now,” he says. “I can sprint even in the Castella says ali’s physical condition is school in Reinach, which has a number 80th minute.” excellent, but sometimes his low tolerance of up-and-coming national players. One It’s di¹cult for young people to put for frustration is a problem. “Learning such player is Marko Drakul, who has in additional hours apart from their dai- about emotional aspects helps you know enough time for ve to six practice
Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 21 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
Promoting Young Talent INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY LEADER Omar Thali, 19 Shani Tarashaj, 19 Striker Striker The world renowned Swiss training concept was developed in the mid-1990s by the for- mer technical director, Hansruedi Hasler. The model has three pillars: a close partner- ship among the SFV, the football league and the clubs; the use of professional coaches for the youth teams; and the efficient use of financial resources. Additionally, the SFV set up training centers for the top talents throughout the country – the Credit Suisse Academies – where some current national players, including Johan Djourou and Haris Seferovic, have learned the ropes. Swiss youth football has been known to the football world at least since the U17 ti- tles in the European Championship and the World Cup. Several times a year, club dele- gations come to Switzerland from all over the world to learn more about the concept. Many clubs have already launched similar programs.
sessions per week along with the match- an internal SFV study shows. Of 47 na- offered a contract with FC Barcelona es. e strong central defender of the U18 tional players analyzed since 2008, only at the age of 15, which he politely de - national team, who has Serbian roots, has three did not have super league experi- clined. ere’s no better sign of condence been playing since the age of 12 with FC ence: Valon Behrami, Diego Benaglio in Switzerland’s young talent training Basel. “I think about what will happen if and Marco Padalino. Or to put it another program. I don’t make the pros,” says Drakul, the way: e “Swiss way” is more successful, son of a doctor and a factory worker, “so as the latest transfers of Xherdan Shaqi- I’m going to nish my schooling.” ri and Granit Xhaka – worth millions A real power struggle has emerged – show. “Extensive discussions with the between Europe’s top clubs in the hunt young players and their families help us for the stars of the future. Peter Knäbel avoid lots of transfers,” Dany Ryser is recalls how ten years ago, only one or two pleased to report. In fact, of the current scouts at most would turn up for a nation- U18 national team, only Kilian Pagliuca al U21 match, whereas there are at least (Olympique Lyon) is playing in another 15 today. e number is much greater at country. He was born in 1996, a gener - under-21 internationals: “As many as 40 ation that the SFV’s professional coach- to 50 scouts will be sitting in the stands.” es are banking on. If it’s up to them, his comrades will provide the foundation of e “Swiss Way” the Swiss guard for Qatar. e critical question in career planning is is generation has a great deal of this: When is it time to relocate to anoth- talent with an equal dose of chutzpah. er country? Most players jump the gun, as Deni Kadoic, defender for FC Basel, was
22 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle —
GO SWITZERLAND! THE JUBILEE QUIZ
Ten questions for you, the twelfth man in the Swiss national team. Or the twelfth woman. Test your football knowledge* and win a trip for two people with the national team.
*Status as of: December 31, 2013
1. Which place did the Swiss national team occupy in 7. Which record did Johan Vonlanthen break, which an the FIFA world ranking list when it was first published on Englishman named Wayne Rooney had broken only four August 8, 1993? days earlier? Y — 3rd place L — The earliest goal of a European championship X — 37th place M — Youngest European championship goalie of all time Z — 98th place N — The most own goals in one match
2. With which part of his body did To be won 8. Which current Swiss national player Philippe Senderos score all of his goals launched his international career in for the Swiss national team? Grand prize: the Credit Suisse Football Academy in A — Head Payerne? B — Left foot A trip for K — Stéphane Chapuisat C — Right hand two with the L — Johann Vogel national team M — Johan Djourou
3. Which Swiss football talent, signed to 9. Which record in the 117-year history of Udinese, was born the same year as the to an away game for the European the Swiss Football Association did the Credit Suisse partnership with the Swiss Championship qualification in the Swiss national team not achieve under Football Association? fall of 2014, including transport Ottmar Hitzfield? O — Jonathan Rossini and overnight stay in the same C — 14 successive matches without defeat N — Silvan Widmer hotel as the Swiss national team. D — First early qualification for a World Cup M — Ricardo Rodriguez E — Highest win in World Cup qualifying
2nd & 3rd prize: A signed national 4. How long does an official international 10. In which city will the Swiss team shirt each match last for women? national team be based during the L — 70 minutes 2014 World Cup?
M — 80 minutes Q — Porto Alegre 4th to 11th prize: A fan cap each N — 90 minutes R — Porto Seguro S — Brasilia 5. Which Swiss U17 world champion made it onto the national team, albeit that of Thailand? Solution R — Haris Seferovic S — Charyl Chappuis 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 T — Kofi Nimeley Deadline for entries: July 15, 2014 Send the answers to: CREDIT SUISSE Fussballwettbewerb, Postfach, CH-8070 Zürich E-mail: [email protected] 6. Which country puts the most foreigners in the first division Terms and conditions of participation: Entry is free and not linked to the completion of a legal of Germany’s federal league, the Bundesliga? business transaction. Entrants must be aged 18 years or over. Employees of Credit Suisse AG (“CS”) who are involved in the project, as well as third parties contracted by CS in connection with the N — Brazil competition, are not permitted to enter. Entrants agree that their address details and data may be passed on to other Credit Suisse companies and used for marketing purposes. The data is treated O — Switzerland as confidential. Entrants may decline the use of their data for advertising and marketing purposes in writing at any time. If several entrants answer the questions correctly, the winners will be P — Poland determined by drawing lots and will be personally notified. There will be no cash awards and no correspondence about the competition. There is no right of appeal. By entering the competition, you acknowledge the above terms and conditions.
Photos: Laurent Gillieron/Keystone/Photopress; Arno Balzarini/Keystone/Photopress; Toto Marti/Blicksport/RDB; Fabrice Corini/Keystone Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 23 — Switzerland’s Footballing Miracle — Our Biggest Fan Roger Federer admires the Swiss national football team and envies the players.
By Daniel Huber
Roger Federer, how much do you like to talk Yes, one time. It was after their surpris- Juan Martin del Potro was also a good foot- about football? ing 2-1 defeat by Luxembourg in 2008 ball player in his youth, just like many other Almost as much as tennis. I’m a card- when the players were being severely top tennis players. Is there such a thing as carrying football fan – of the Swiss beaten up by the press. Ottmar Hitzfeld a sports gene that makes people good at all national team, which many people un- called me and asked me to meet the team types of ball games? derstand, and of FC Basel, which not so to help them pull themselves together for Good tennis players do indeed often have many people understand (laughs). the next match. Since I was in Switzer- a talent for other sorts of ball games. land at the time, I was very happy to do ey are quite obviously aided by their You won’t be watching much of the World it. First and foremost, the players wanted excellent coordination and feel for the Cup in Brazil; it takes place at the same to know how I handle being criticized ball. Interestingly, that not only helps time as Wimbledon. How will you solve by the media. Today, I am more the one them with all racquet-based sports, but that problem? who could use some media coaching by also whenever ball contact takes place British TV will denitely broadcast all the national team instead of the other through the hand or foot. I have always the important highlights and goals a way around (laughs). been fascinated by how balls react to million times and make sure Wimbledon external forces, catching them, passing experiences some World Cup feeling. I’m Are there plans for you to see them again? them, watching how they bounce. looking forward to it already. Besides, the Meetings like that are di¹cult to World Cup starts sooner than Wimble- schedule. Still, I hope the Swiss players Except for the ball, the sports of tennis and don and lasts a week longer. at means I know that I’m one of their biggest fans football couldn’t be more dierent. Do you should be able to watch all the nals live. and stand behind them one hundred sometimes miss the team spirit that is so im- percent during every match. Every once portant in football? What do you think the Swiss are capable of in a while, I send Ottmar Hitzfeld a text Absolutely. As an individual athlete, es- in the World Cup nal round? message to congratulate him on a victory. pecially when you win something as huge e problem with, or perhaps the good as the Wimbledon nals, you have no one thing about, tournaments like this is that What is Roger Federer like as a football fan? to hug or run after while cheering in or- there are only three games in the rst If people think I go to a sports bar to der to vent your emotions. You’re trapped round. And in those three matches, really watch the game and end up getting inside yourself to a certain degree. I can’t anything is possible. But I hope and be- drunk and rowdy, then I have to disap- run over to the stands to celebrate with lieve the Swiss team will advance to the point them. I rarely ip out. But when- the fans, either, like you can in football. next round. And who knows what might ever FC Basel or the national team is happen after that? playing, I do of course get excited. Why not? You of all people surely have fans all over the world? Do underdogs have better chances in football ere are some YouTube videos that show Tradition, etiquette and respect for one’s than in tennis? you playing football quite well. Were you in opponent all forbid it. I never would have Of course, because there are more factors a football club as a kid? made it this far as a football player at play in football. ere you have 22 I played on a football team in addition anyway. Tennis is my game. players deciding the outcome, not just to tennis until I was 12. en the coach two. en there is the coach, who can called me over and said, “Roger, you’re intervene in the game and aect the allowed to play in matches only if you outcome. And even the calls made by also come to practice during the week.” referees carry a lot of weight in football. It was then that I reluctantly ended Tennis oers far less room for surpris- my football career. Back then, I was es simply because of how the game is already better at playing tennis and was designed. taking part in national and even inter- national tournaments. Of course, I never Have you ever met the Swiss national team could have dreamed that I would be in person? good enough to have a career like this.
24 — Bulletin Special Issue 2014 When the national team plays, I get excited. Roger Federer (32), tennis legend and football fan
Bulletin Special Issue 2014 — 25 les amIs du
InvestIng In the future makes sense. In football too. Credit suisse promotes football talent.
Credit Suisse has been supporting Swiss football since 1993. Half of the sponsorship funding is used to promote young talent in order to give promising young players a helping hand on their way to the top. Our commitment also helps to ensure that successes such as the U-21 national team coming second in the 2011 European Championship may happen again in the future. credit-suisse.com/soccer