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Switzerland national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Switzerland women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Switzerland
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) A-Team
Nati (National Team)
Rossocrociati (Red Crosses)
Association Swiss Football Association
Confederation UEFA (Europe)
Head coach Murat Yakin
Captain Granit Xhaka
Most caps Granit Xhaka (135)
Top scorer Alexander Frei (42)
Home stadium Various
FIFA code SUI
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 8 Steady (7 February 2019)
Highest 3 (August 1993)
Lowest 83 (December 1998)
Elo ranking
Current 12 Increase 1 (3 March 2019)
Highest 8 (June 2018)
Lowest 62 (October 1979)
First international
 France 1–0 Switzerland 
(Paris, France; 12 February 1905)
Biggest win
 Switzerland 9–0 Lithuania 
(Paris, France; 25 May 1924)
Biggest defeat
 Switzerland 0–9 England 
(Basel, Switzerland; 20 May 1909)
 Hungary 9–0 Switzerland 
(Budapest, Hungary; 29 October 1911)
World Cup
Appearances 12 (first in 1934)
Best result Quarter-finals (1934, 1938, 1954)
European Championship
Appearances 6 (first in 1996)
Best result Quarter-finals (2020, 2024)
Nations League Finals
Appearances 1 (first in 2019)
Best result Fourth place (2019)
Medal record
Olympic Games
Silver 1924 Paris Team

The Switzerland national football team is the official men's football team for Switzerland. They are often called the A-Team or Nati. The team is managed by the Swiss Football Association.

Switzerland has done well in major tournaments. They reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup three times: in 1934, 1938, and 1954. In 1954, Switzerland hosted the World Cup. They played a thrilling quarter-final match against Austria, losing 7–5. This is still the highest-scoring World Cup match ever!

At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Switzerland made a special record. They were knocked out without letting in a single goal during regular play. They lost to Ukraine in a penalty shootout. They kept this amazing defensive record until the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They didn't concede a goal for 559 minutes in World Cup matches, setting a new record!

Switzerland also co-hosted UEFA Euro 2008 with Austria. They reached the Round of 16 at Euro 2016. Their best performance at the Euros was reaching the quarter-finals in 2020 and 2024. In 2020, they even beat world champions France!

Their best ever result in an official competition was winning a silver medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. They lost 3–0 to Uruguay in the final match.

History of Swiss Football

Early Years and World Cup Hosting (1924–1966)

1924-URU-SUI 1924-FIN-JO
The Uruguay vs. Switzerland line-up at the Gold medal match in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.

In 1924, Switzerland won a silver medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. They lost to Uruguay in the final. Their first time playing in the World Cup was in 1934. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to Czechoslovakia.

Switzerland made it to the quarter-finals again in 1938. They beat Germany in the Round of 16. However, they were then knocked out by Hungary.

In 1950, Switzerland played in a group with Brazil, Yugoslavia, and Mexico. They finished third in their group.

Switzerland hosted the 1954 FIFA World Cup. They finished second in their group, beating Italy. They reached the quarter-finals but lost a high-scoring game, 7–5, to Austria.

The team struggled in the 1962 and 1966 World Cups. They finished last in their groups in both tournaments, losing all their matches.

The Roy Hodgson Era (1992–1996)

In 1992, Roy Hodgson became the coach. Switzerland had not been to a major tournament since 1966. Under Hodgson, Switzerland's ranking in the FIFA World Rankings rose to 3rd in August 1993. This is still their highest ranking ever!

Hodgson led Switzerland to the 1994 FIFA World Cup. They only lost one game during the qualifying rounds. In the World Cup, they drew 1–1 with hosts United States. They then won 4–1 against Romania. Even though they lost their last group game, they still made it out of the group. They were then knocked out by Spain, losing 3–0.

The Köbi Kuhn Era (2000–2008)

Switzerland easily qualified for UEFA Euro 1996. They topped their qualifying group, losing only once. However, their tournament was disappointing. They finished last in their group after drawing with England and losing to the Netherlands and Scotland.

They did not qualify for the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

For UEFA Euro 2004, Switzerland finished first in their qualifying group. They went to the finals in Portugal. They drew 0–0 with Croatia. Then they lost 3–0 to England and 3–1 to France. They finished last in their group. Johan Vonlanthen scored their only goal. He became the youngest goalscorer ever at the Euros.

Switzerland qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. They beat Turkey in a play-off. In the tournament, they drew 0–0 with France. They then beat Togo 2–0 and South Korea 2–0. They finished first in their group without letting in any goals! In the Round of 16, they lost to Ukraine in a penalty shootout. They were the only team in the tournament to be eliminated without conceding a goal in open play.

Switzerland and Austria co-hosted UEFA Euro 2008. Switzerland lost their first two matches to the Czech Republic and Turkey. They won their final group match 2–0 against Portugal.

The Ottmar Hitzfeld Era (2008–2014)

At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Switzerland surprised everyone by beating eventual champions Spain 1–0. However, they were still knocked out in the group stage. In their second match, Chile scored against them, ending their amazing 559-minute streak without conceding a goal in World Cup matches. This broke Italy's previous record. They drew 0–0 with Honduras in their last group game.

Swiss national football team - Swiss vs. Argentina, 29th February 2012
The Switzerland national team before a friendly match against Argentina in 2012. Switzerland lost 1–3.

Switzerland did not qualify for UEFA Euro 2012. They finished third in their qualifying group.

At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Switzerland were in a group with France, Honduras, and Ecuador. They made it to the Round of 16 by beating Honduras 3–0. Xherdan Shaqiri scored all three goals! In the knockout match, they lost 1–0 to Argentina in the 118th minute.

The Vladimir Petković Era (2016–2021)

At Euro 2016, Switzerland played in a group with hosts France, Albania, and Romania. They won 1–0 against Albania and drew 1–1 with Romania. Their final group game against France was a 0–0 draw. This game was famous for Swiss players' jerseys ripping and the ball bursting! Switzerland finished second in their group.

In the Round of 16, they played Poland. Switzerland scored a late equalizer with an amazing bicycle-kick from Xherdan Shaqiri. The game went to extra time and then a penalty shootout. Unfortunately, Granit Xhaka missed his penalty, and Poland won 5–4.

For the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Switzerland had a strong qualifying campaign. They started with a surprising 2–0 win over European champions Portugal. They won nine of their ten group games. They had to play in a play-off against Northern Ireland. They won 1–0 on aggregate and qualified for the World Cup in Russia. Before the World Cup, Switzerland was ranked 6th in the world.

Switzerland national football team World Cup 2018
The Switzerland national team before their game against Sweden in the 2018 World Cup.

At the 2018 World Cup, Switzerland were in a group with Brazil, Serbia, and Costa Rica. They drew 1–1 with Brazil. They then beat Serbia 2–1 with a late goal from Xherdan Shaqiri. Their final group game was a 2–2 draw with Costa Rica. They finished second in the group. In the Round of 16, they lost 1–0 to Sweden and were knocked out.

In the first ever UEFA Nations League in 2018–19, Switzerland was in League A. They finished first in their group. They reached the finals in 2019, where they finished fourth.

At UEFA Euro 2020, which was played in 2021, Switzerland finished third in their group. They still made it to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams. In the Round of 16, they faced World Cup champions France. They came back from being 3–1 down to draw 3–3! They then won on penalties, their first knockout win in a major tournament since 1938. In the quarter-finals, they played Spain. They drew 1–1 but lost on penalties, converting only one of their four attempts.

The Murat Yakin Era (2021–Present)

Murat Yakin became the manager in August 2021. Switzerland finished first in their World Cup qualifying group, even ahead of Italy! This earned them a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. At the World Cup, Switzerland finished second in their group. They lost 6–1 to Portugal in the Round of 16.

In 2023, Switzerland qualified for UEFA Euro 2024. They finished second in their qualifying group. The Euro 2024 tournament was a big success for Switzerland. They finished second in their group and moved to the Round of 16. There, they caused a big upset by beating defending champions Italy 2–0. This meant they reached the quarter-finals for the second time in their history!

Team Kit and Look

Kit Colors

The Switzerland national team usually wears red shirts, white shorts, and red socks for their home games. Their away kit is the opposite: white shirts, red shorts, and white socks. These colors come from the Swiss flag. Puma has been making their kits since 1998.

Kit Sponsors

Supplier Period
France Le Coq Sportif 1970–1975
West Germany Adidas 1976–1989
Austria Blacky 1990–1992
Italy Lotto 1993–1997
Germany Puma 1998–present

Recent Matches (2024)

This section shows the results of matches played in the last 12 months and any upcoming games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Results

Team Staff

Coaching Staff

Position Name
Head coach Switzerland Murat Yakin
Assistant coach Switzerland Giorgio Contini
Goalkeeping coach Switzerland Patrick Foletti
Fitness coach Switzerland Oliver Riedwyl
Doctor Switzerland Ludwig Scholzer
Physiotherapist Switzerland Marcel Müllenberger
Match analyst Switzerland Kevin Ehmes
Masseur Switzerland Wolfgang Frei
Nutritionist Switzerland Antonio Molina
Chef Switzerland Francesco Baraldo Sano
Team coordinator Switzerland Diego Benaglio

Players

Current Team Squad

The players listed below were chosen for the UEFA Nations League matches in November 2024. Some players had to withdraw due to injuries or illness, and others were called in to replace them.

Caps (games played) and goals are updated as of November 18, 2024, after the match against  Spain.
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Gregor Kobel (1997-12-06) 6 December 1997 (age 27) 10 0 Germany Borussia Dortmund
12 1GK Yvon Mvogo (1994-06-06) 6 June 1994 (age 31) 10 0 France Lorient
21 1GK David von Ballmoos (1994-12-30) 30 December 1994 (age 30) 0 0 Switzerland Young Boys
2 2DF Kevin Mbabu (1995-04-19) 19 April 1995 (age 30) 25 0 Denmark Midtjylland
3 2DF Albian Hajdari (2003-05-18) 18 May 2003 (age 22) 0 0 Switzerland Lugano
6 2DF Ulisses Garcia (1996-01-11) 11 January 1996 (age 29) 10 0 France Marseille
13 2DF Ricardo Rodriguez (1992-08-25) 25 August 1992 (age 32) 125 9 Spain Real Betis
18 2DF Eray Cömert (1998-02-04) 4 February 1998 (age 27) 17 0 Spain Valladolid
20 2DF Cédric Zesiger (1998-06-24) 24 June 1998 (age 27) 4 0 Germany VfL Wolfsburg
4 3MF Miro Muheim (1998-03-24) 24 March 1998 (age 27) 1 0 Germany Hamburger SV
7 3MF Simon Sohm (2001-04-11) 11 April 2001 (age 24) 2 0 Italy Parma
8 3MF Remo Freuler (1992-04-15) 15 April 1992 (age 33) 78 10 Italy Bologna
10 3MF Granit Xhaka (captain) (1992-09-27) 27 September 1992 (age 32) 135 14 Germany Bayer Leverkusen
11 3MF Dereck Kutesa (1997-12-06) 6 December 1997 (age 27) 3 0 Switzerland Servette
15 3MF Filip Ugrinić (1999-01-05) 5 January 1999 (age 26) 4 0 Switzerland Young Boys
16 3MF Vincent Sierro (1995-10-08) 8 October 1995 (age 29) 10 0 France Toulouse
17 3MF Edimilson Fernandes (1996-04-15) 15 April 1996 (age 29) 34 2 France Brest
22 3MF Fabian Rieder (2002-02-16) 16 February 2002 (age 23) 16 0 Germany VfB Stuttgart
9 4FW Noah Okafor (2000-05-24) 24 May 2000 (age 25) 24 2 Italy Milan
14 4FW Andi Zeqiri (1999-06-22) 22 June 1999 (age 26) 15 1 Belgium Standard Liège
19 4FW Joël Monteiro (1999-08-05) 5 August 1999 (age 25) 4 1 Switzerland Young Boys
23 4FW Zeki Amdouni (2000-12-04) 4 December 2000 (age 24) 25 10 Portugal Benfica

Players Called Up Recently

These players have also been called up to the team in the last year.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Pascal Loretz (2003-06-01) 1 June 2003 (age 22) 0 0 Switzerland Luzern v.  Serbia, 15 November 2024 INJ
GK Philipp Köhn (1998-04-02) 2 April 1998 (age 27) 0 0 France Monaco v.  Denmark, 15 October 2024
GK Jonas Omlin (1994-01-10) 10 January 1994 (age 31) 4 0 Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach v.  Spain, 8 September 2024
GK Yann Sommer (1988-12-17) 17 December 1988 (age 36) 94 0 Italy Internazionale UEFA Euro 2024 RET
GK Marvin Keller (2002-07-03) 3 July 2002 (age 23) 0 0 Switzerland Young Boys UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
DF Aurèle Amenda (2003-07-31) 31 July 2003 (age 21) 1 0 Germany Eintracht Frankfurt v.  Spain, 18 November 2024 INJ
DF Manuel Akanji (vice-captain) (1995-07-19) 19 July 1995 (age 29) 69 3 England Manchester City v.  Serbia, 15 November 2024 INJ
DF Nico Elvedi (1996-09-30) 30 September 1996 (age 28) 56 2 Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach v.  Denmark, 15 October 2024
DF Silvan Widmer (1993-03-05) 5 March 1993 (age 32) 49 4 Germany Mainz 05 v.  Denmark, 15 October 2024
DF Bećir Omeragić (2002-01-20) 20 January 2002 (age 23) 7 0 France Montpellier v.  Serbia, 12 October 2024 INJ
DF Gregory Wüthrich (1994-12-04) 4 December 1994 (age 30) 2 0 Austria Sturm Graz v.  Spain, 8 September 2024
DF Dominik Schmid (1998-03-10) 10 March 1998 (age 27) 0 0 Switzerland Basel v.  Denmark, 5 September 2024 INJ
DF Fabian Schär (1991-12-20) 20 December 1991 (age 33) 86 8 England Newcastle United UEFA Euro 2024 RET
DF Leonidas Stergiou (2002-03-03) 3 March 2002 (age 23) 6 0 Germany VfB Stuttgart UEFA Euro 2024
DF Bryan Okoh (2003-05-16) 16 May 2003 (age 22) 0 0 Austria Red Bull Salzburg UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
MF Ardon Jashari (2002-07-30) 30 July 2002 (age 22) 2 0 Belgium Club Brugge v.  Spain, 18 November 2024 INJ
MF Denis Zakaria (1996-11-20) 20 November 1996 (age 28) 57 3 France Monaco v.  Serbia, 15 November 2024 INJ
MF Michel Aebischer (1997-01-06) 6 January 1997 (age 28) 29 1 Italy Bologna v.  Denmark, 15 October 2024
MF Christian Witzig (2001-01-09) 9 January 2001 (age 24) 1 0 Switzerland St. Gallen v.  Denmark, 15 October 2024
MF Uran Bislimi (1999-09-25) 25 September 1999 (age 25) 2 0 Switzerland Lugano v.  Spain, 8 September 2024
MF Xherdan Shaqiri (1991-10-10) 10 October 1991 (age 33) 125 32 Switzerland Basel UEFA Euro 2024 RET
MF Steven Zuber (1991-08-17) 17 August 1991 (age 33) 56 11 Greece AEK Athens UEFA Euro 2024
FW Breel Embolo (1997-02-14) 14 February 1997 (age 28) 73 15 France Monaco v.  Spain, 18 November 2024 SUS
FW Dan Ndoye (2000-10-25) 25 October 2000 (age 24) 18 1 Italy Bologna v.  Serbia, 15 November 2024 INJ
FW Rubén Vargas (1998-08-05) 5 August 1998 (age 26) 50 8 Germany FC Augsburg v.  Spain, 8 September 2024
FW Renato Steffen (1991-11-03) 3 November 1991 (age 33) 41 4 Switzerland Lugano v.  Spain, 8 September 2024
FW Kwadwo Duah (1997-02-24) 24 February 1997 (age 28) 6 1 Bulgaria Ludogorets Razgrad v.  Spain, 8 September 2024
Notes
  • COV = Player withdrew from the squad due to testing positive for COVID-19.
  • INJ = Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury or illness.
  • PRE = Preliminary squad.
  • RET = Retired from international football.
  • SUS = Serving suspension.

Player Records

Players in bold are still playing for Switzerland.

Most Games Played

SWE-SWI (18) (cropped)
Granit Xhaka has played the most games for Switzerland, with 135 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Granit Xhaka 135 14 2011–present
2 Xherdan Shaqiri 125 32 2010–2024
Ricardo Rodriguez 125 9 2011–present
4 Heinz Hermann 118 15 1978–1991
5 Alain Geiger 112 2 1980–1996
6 Stephan Lichtsteiner 108 8 2006–2019
7 Stéphane Chapuisat 103 21 1989–2004
8 Yann Sommer 94 0 2012–2024
Johann Vogel 94 2 1995–2007
10 Haris Seferovic 93 25 2013–present

Top Goal Scorers

Alex-frei-2011
Alexander Frei is Switzerland's top scorer with 42 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Alexander Frei 42 84 0.5 2001–2011
2 Kubilay Türkyilmaz 34 64 0.53 1988–2001
Max Abegglen 34 68 0.5 1922–1937
4 Xherdan Shaqiri 32 125 0.26 2010–2024
5 André Abegglen 29 52 0.56 1927–1943
6 Jacques Fatton 28 53 0.53 1946–1955
7 Adrian Knup 26 49 0.53 1989–1996
8 Haris Seferovic 25 93 0.27 2013–present
9 Josef Hügi 22 34 0.65 1951–1961
Charles Antenen 22 56 0.39 1948–1962

Team Achievements

Switzerland's best results are reaching the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup three times (1934, 1938, 1954). They also reached the quarter-finals at Euro 2020 and 2024. They won a silver medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Major Competitions

Friendly Tournaments

  • Lunar New Year Cup
    • Champions (1): 1993

Summary of Medals

Competition 1 2 3 Total
FIFA World Cup 0 0 0 0
Olympic Games 0 1 0 1
UEFA European Championship 0 0 0 0
UEFA Nations League 0 0 0 0
Total 0 1 0 1

More About Swiss Football

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Suiza para niños

  • List of Switzerland international footballers
  • Switzerland national under-23 football team (Switzerland Olympic team)
  • Switzerland national under-21 football team
  • Switzerland national under-20 football team
  • Switzerland national under-19 football team
  • Switzerland national under-18 football team
  • Switzerland national under-17 football team
  • Switzerland national under-16 football team
  • Swiss Footballer of the Year
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