10 greatest Switzerland players in football history have been ranked

With a Euro 2024 quarter-final clash with England on the horizon, Murat Yakin’s Switzerland know they are just one game away from achieving their best tournament finish in history, having never progressed to the final four of any major competition.

The Swiss have been in remarkable form over the summer, proving themselves to be one of the dark horses of the championships. As their day with destiny awaits, it’s time to delve back into the country’s history to discover who has the honour of being considered among the greatest talents that the nation has ever produced based on some key criteria.

Key Factors

• International Caps
• International Goals/Clean Sheets
• Club Record
• Impact during era

10 Stephan Lichtsteiner

Career Span: 2006-2019

Pipping the likes of Fabian Schar and Breel Embolo to a spot in this top ten, is a man who had notable spells at the likes of Juventus and Arsenal, where he was one of Unai Emery’s worst signings, Stephan Lichtsteiner was one of the most consistent right-backs around during his prime, and spent 13 years representing his national team.

Making his debut in 2006, Lichsteiner went on to compete in five major tournaments before his retirement in 2019. With 108 caps to his name, the former defender is one of just seven players to have reached a century of appearances for Switzerland. He did so in 2018 ahead of that summer’s World Cup.

9 Ricardo Rodriguez

Career Span: 2011-Present

One of the few players to have surpassed Lichtsteiner when it comes to caps, Ricardo Rodriguez has had an almighty international career despite only being 31 years old. Making his debut at 19, the left-back has been ever present since the moment he integrated himself into the national set-up.

In terms of his club career, the defender has had prominent spells at the likes of Wolfsburg, A.C. Milan and Torino. However, he currently finds himself a free agent after his contract in Turin was allowed to expire. If he continues to impress at Euro 2024, he will be snapped up in no time.

8 Alain Geiger

Career Span: 1980-1996

Alain Geiger defied the typical centre-back stereotype with his 5’11” frame, proving height and physicality weren’t essential for international success. Over a 20-year career, he earned 112 caps for Switzerland, second only to Heinz Hermann. The defender captained Switzerland in the 1994 World Cup and Euro 96, ending his international career with a draw against England, the team he made his debut against.

Geiger’s club career was mostly in Switzerland, where he won two league titles and three cups with Sion and Servette. His crowning achievement was leading Neuchatel Xamax to their only two Swiss League titles.

7 Heinz Hermann

Career Span: 1978-1991

Heinz Hermann achieved an impressive array of honours during his career and given the fact that he never managed to play in a single major tournament for his country, his record of 118 caps is all the more incredible.

Recognized for his exceptional quality, he was considered the best Swiss player from the mid to late 80s – a wonderful era of football. Hermann’s excellence was further acknowledged as he won Switzerland’s Footballer of the Year award five consecutive times from 1984 to 1988. Since his retirement, the 66-year-old has held other roles in football, such as the academy manager at Basel and director of football at FC Luzern.

6 Stephane Chapuisat

Career Span: 1989-2004

When you have an international career that spans more than 15 years, you are a special talent. A key player for Switzerland throughout the 1990s, Stephane Chapuisat earned over 100 caps, participating in two European Championships and the 1994 World Cup.

Chapuisat spent much of his club career with Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, contributing to a golden era by winning back-to-back league titles and the Champions League in 1996-97. He netted over 250 league goals during his career. If the current squad had someone as lethal as him up top, they would be incredibly tough to stop.

5 Manuel Akanji

Career Span: 2017-Present

Although his time representing Switzerland isn’t as long as many others on this list, there can be no denying that Manuel Akanji is one of the best defenders that his country has ever seen. The 28-year-old came to prominence at Borussia Dortmund, before making a move to Manchester City which caught many off guard at the time.

Since then, the centre-back has fitted in seamlessly with Pep Guardiola’s style of play and become one of the most underrated players in the Premier League. His influence on the 2023 treble-winning side cannot be understated and neither can his role in Murat Yakin’s team today.

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4 Alexander Frei

Career Span: 2001-2011

Despite his international career ending after being influenced by fan criticism, Alexander Frei’s contributions to Swiss football are undeniable. He played in two European Championships and the 2006 World Cup, where he notched two goals.

Frei is Switzerland’s all-time top scorer with 42 goals, boasting an impressive goal-per-game ratio of one in every two appearances. Like Akanji, there are plenty of other players on this list who have had more longevity on the international stage. As the forward proved, sometimes it’s more about the impact you make whilst you’re there, rather than just how long you’re there for.

3 Yann Sommer

Career Span: 2012-Present

One of the best goalkeepers in the world today, Yann Sommer is not shy about performing heroics for his country when needed. Despite being 35 years old, the shot-stopper is at the top of his game. His impressive form has seen him seal moves to Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in the last two years alone, picking up league titles during both stints.

Blessed with cat-like reflexes and incredible decision-making, Sommer’s humble personality means that his feet are never too far from the ground. That is unless he is springing towards the top corner to make another fabulous save. Just a few caps away from reaching a tonne, it won’t be long before the former Borussia Monchengladbach star joins an esteemed club.

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2 Granit Xhaka

Career Span: 2011-Present

Once a villain at the Emirates, now a hero at the Bay Arena, Granit Xhaka‘s redemption story is one for football folklore. The midfielder always showed glimpses of what he could do at Arsenal, but rash moments coupled with criticism from fans made it a love-hate relationship.

In his final season at the club, Xhaka was allowed to play in a role that suited him best and he excelled. Finally showcasing the form that fans had seen him produce for Switzerland, the 31-year-old then joined up with Xabi Alonso and became one of the most important members of the Spaniard’s Bundesliga-winning squad during the 2023-24 season.

1 Xherdan Shaqiri

Career Span: 2010-Present

He may not be in his prime anymore, but even at this stage of his career, Xherdan Shaqiri is setting records. His magnificent strike in the second game of Group A against Scotland was not only a goal of the tournament contender but made Shaqiri the only player to have scored in the last three European Championships and the last three World Cups.

A decade on from scoring his first goal at a major tournament for Switzerland, the former Bayern Munich and Liverpool man ranks second for caps and fourth for all-time goals scored for his country. Given that his deal at Chicago Fire expires this winter, Shaqiri still has plenty to offer at 32. Regardless of what happens next, his legacy as the greatest Swiss star is well and truly cemented.

All stats via Transfermarkt – accurate as of 04/07/2023