Which Swiss footballer are you familiar with, whether retired or active?
Switzerland is a Western European country with no history of colonialism, yet have similar cultural and linguistic traits to some of Europe’s nations that are linguistically diverse in culture.
While the Rossocrociati has never been a powerhouse football nation like some of Europe’s elite teams, they’ve somewhat proven themselves proficient in major tournaments recording their best performance at the 1924 Olympics.
They won Silver and reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup back in 1934, 1938, and 1954. However, Swiss footballers have frequently shone in international competitions.
Swiss football talent has been developed with a plethora of playing styles as a result of the country’s multicultural makeup.
The nation produces a wide array of players, from deft, dependable defenders to traditional #9s and deep-lying midfielders.
- Best Swiss Footballers In History
- Who is Switzerland’s best striker?
- Is soccer famous in Switzerland?
- How many Swiss footballers have played in the Premier League?
- What is Switzerland renowned for?
- Is Switzerland good at soccer?
- Which sport is the best in Switzerland?
- What sports did Switzerland invent?
- Which Swiss football team is the best?
- How many soccer clubs are there in Switzerland?
- Does Switzerland have a soccer league?
- How good is the Swiss league?
Best Swiss Footballers In History
The past decade has seen a relatively successful period for Swiss football. Since some of the greatest Swiss footballers of all time are still active in the professional game, you might know a few familiar names.
- Umberto Barberis – (1975-1985, Caps: 54, Goals: 7, Trophies: 15, Clubs: 3)
Swiss Footballer of the Year on three occasions and Foreign Footballer of the Year award twice in succession in France give credence to his legendary status as a Switzerland player.
Barberis made his name as one of the deft wingers during his stay with FC Sion before he moved elsewhere to play for Monaco where he was part of the Ligue 1 and Coupe de France title-winning team.
While his career coincided with literally a barren spell in terms of major tournaments for the Swiss national team, he was able to achieve success in Switzerland with Servette winning two Swiss titles, four Swiss Cups, and four Swiss League Cups.
- Stephane Henchoz – (1993-2006, Caps: 72, Trophies: 6, Clubs: 8)
Henchoz had an illustrious club career under Gerard Houllier’s historic Liverpool treble-winning team in 2000-01, as they won the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup having joined from Blackburn Rovers in 1999.
During his six years stint at Anfield, he was considered the best Swiss footballer to don the Liverpool shirt before he moved to the Scottish league where he also won the Scottish Cup.
Henchoz’s international career wasn’t as successful as that of his club career, but he did amass 72 caps during his 13-year national assignment with Switzerland featuring in two major tournaments Euro 96 and 2004.
- Johann Vogel – (1995-2007, Caps: 94, Goals: 2, Trophies: 12, Clubs: 6)
During Vogel’s 12-year international career, he appeared in two European Championships and the 2006 World Cup falling short of a century caps for the Rossocrociati before his retirement in 2007.
His club career produced quite a number of trophies for him both at Grasshoppers where he won three league titles, a Swiss Cup, and at PSV Eindhoven, he further won four league titles and the KNVB Cup to his trophy haul.
Vogel was named Dutch Footballer of the Year in 2001 for his sheer impact on the PSV Eindhoven team that got to the Champions League semi-finals against all odds.
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- Hakan Yakin – (2000-2011, Caps: 87, Goals: 20, Trophies: 7, Clubs: 11)
While Switzerland is renowned for melting a pot of many different cultures, with approximately 70,000 people with Turkish roots living in the country.
Hakan, a Swiss footballer of Turkish descent is a maverick attacking midfielder, renowned for his sheer temperamental nature and rockstar lifestyle as a professional footballer both for the Rossocrociati and the clubs he donned their jerseys.
While Hakan’s sojourn abroad didn’t work out well just like he would have loved to, his time at Grasshoppers and Basel can be said to be one of the best moments in his club’s football career winning league titles with both teams in 2001 and 2003.
His international career saw him appear in two major tournaments both at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups with 87 caps and 20 goals from 2000 to 2011.
- Kubilay Turkyilmaz – (1988-2001, Caps: 62, Goals: 34, Trophies: 3, Clubs: 9)
Turkyilmaz is another popular Swiss footballer with Turkish ancestry, in fact, it was reported that he refused to play against Turkey in an international game for fear of being branded a traitor.
One of his important and remembered moments for the Swiss national team was the equalizing goal against England at the European Championship in 1996, where he showed he was one of Switzerland’s most lethal strikers.
While his finest Switzerland moment came at the latter end of his career as a striker, he netted 14 goals in his last eight games for the Rossocrociati which took his goal tally with the national team to 34 overall.
The only silverware he won at the club level came during his stay with Galatasaray, whom he helped to a league triumph in the 1993-94 season.
- Alain Geiger – (1980-1996, Caps: 112, Goals: 5, Trophies: 9, Clubs: 6)
During Geiger’s era where tall defenders like Jaap Stam et al stood out for their respective clubs and countries, the Swiss center-back was also on top of his game despite standing at just 5’11 proving that height and physicality aren’t the only prerequisites to be a fantastic defender.
He captained the Rossocrociati at the 1994 World Cup and Euro 96, He made his final international appearance against the same team he debuted against 16 years previously which was England.
Geiger’s club sojourn took him to France but the majority of his club career was spent in Switzerland winning two league titles and three cups with Sion and Servette, while he also won two Swiss league titles with an unfancy Neuchatel Xamax side.
- Heinz Hermann – (1978-1991, Caps: 118, Goals: 15, Trophies: 8, Clubs: 5)
Hermann is arguably Switzerland’s most versatile player ever, for how he played either as a center-back / midfielder throughout his career with the Rossocrociati.
He spent his entire club career in his country where he won seven league titles, three cups with three different clubs, and won five Swiss Player of the Year awards in a row between 1984 and 1988, in an era where he was widely regarded as the best Swiss footballer in the world.
Before Hermann’s illustrious career came to an end, he featured in 118 games for the Rossocrociati on the international scene, and to date, he’s still dubbed as one of the country’s greatest players.
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- Alexander Frei – (2001-2011, Caps: 86, Goals: 42, Trophies: 7, Clubs: 7)
Frei is no doubt one of Switzerland’s most lethal strikers despite having an international career that ended amid criticism from the fans due to his inconsistent performances solely caused by injury.
He featured in two European Championships and the 2006 World Cup, scoring 42 goals during his time as the king of Swiss football with an impressive goal ratio of one goal per game for Switzerland.
Frei’s club achievements came in the shirt of Switzerland’s giant Basel where he won four consecutive league trophies and two Swiss Cups towards the end of his club career, and individually he was named Swiss Player of the Year thrice which gives credence to his inclusion on this list.
- Stephan Lichtsteiner – (2006-2019, Caps: 108, Goals: 8, Trophies: 17, Clubs: 6)
Lichtsteiner is a Swiss footballer who was not only deployed at right-back but literally played across all the backline both for his country and clubs, especially at Juventus.
Juventus’ attempt to end their wingback trouble, the Old Lady coughed out €10 million to price him away from SS Lazio, and he went on to be the quick solution to their wingback malaise inking his name in the club’s history as one of the best.
His versatility for his club also came in handy for his country where he racked up 108 caps as one of the country’s most capped players behind Heinz Hermann and Alain Geiger.
- Stephane Chapuisat – (1989-2004, Caps: 103, Goals: 21, Trophies: 7, Clubs: 6)
Chapuisat is a name that is well renowned amongst Swiss fans and perhaps the greatest footballer in the history of the nation due to his impact and dedication.
The ex-Dortmund star recorded a truly remarkable 103 caps for Switzerland and was said to be the one that paved way for a great number of rising stars that went on to don the red and white shirt of Switzerland on the international scene.
In Chapuisat’s 103 caps, he scored 21 goals throughout his career and won five Swiss Player of the Year in an illustrious career that summed up how great a player he was while wearing the shirt of his darling nation.
The stand-out of his club career was in the shirt of Borussia Dortmund from 1994-97, where he netted 106 goals in almost 230 games making him the highest-scoring Swiss player in the history of the league. Claiming six titles including two league titles and a Champions League trophy in an era where Die Schwarzgelben dominated European football.
Honorable Mentions:
Granit Xhaka
Xherdan Shaqiri
Gokhan Inler
Ricardo Rodriguez
FAQ
Who is Switzerland’s best striker?
Alexander Frei
Is soccer famous in Switzerland?
The most popular sport in Switzerland is soccer. The Swiss Football Association was established in 1895 and joined FIFA, the organization that governs international sports, as a founding member in 1904. FIFA and UEFA’s headquarters are located in the Swiss cities of Nyon and Zürich, respectively.
How many Swiss footballers have played in the Premier League?
In actuality, over the years, no fewer than 32 Swiss players have played in the Premier League, ranking the nation 20th among foreign countries that have contributed players to the English top division.
What is Switzerland renowned for?
Switzerland is well famous for its stunning views of the Alps, high-end designer watches, and decadent milk chocolate. Switzerland is renowned for its enticing cities and gorgeous train rides that highlight the best of the nation’s natural landscapes. It is also a melting pot of many different cultures.
Is Switzerland good at soccer?
The Nation currently holds the 14th spot in the FIFA rankings with 1635.32 points.
Which sport is the best in Switzerland?
Soccer. The most popular sport in Europe without a doubt is football (or soccer, as Americans would say), and Switzerland is no exception. Football is a sport that the Swiss enjoy both playing and watching. Every weekend, 10,000 matches are reportedly played.
What sports did Switzerland invent?
Swiss wrestling, or “Schwingen,” is a traditional sport. It is a long-standing practice in the rural Central Cantons, and some people refer to it as their country’s sport. Another native sport to Switzerland is hornussen, which resembles a hybrid of baseball and golf.
Which Swiss football team is the best?
FC Basel. This club has been around for more than a century and is unquestionably the best in Switzerland. The club has been in existence since 1893, during which time they have won the league cup 20 times and the Swiss Cup 13 times.
How many soccer clubs are there in Switzerland?
In the top four divisions of the Swiss football league, there are 78 clubs competing: Premier League (top level with 10 clubs, fully professional) Challenge league (second level with 10 clubs, fully professional) Promotion league (third level with 16 clubs, mixed semi-professional and amateur)
Does Switzerland have a soccer league?
The Swiss football league system consists of several interconnected leagues for association football clubs in Switzerland, together with seven teams from Liechtenstein and one team from each of the exclaves of Germany and Italy.
How good is the Swiss league?
According to UEFA’s league coefficient rating as of January 2022, which is based on Swiss teams’ performances in European competitions, the Swiss Super League is rated 14th in Europe.
