All-Time Switzerland National Team Best XI (Shaqiri, Xhaka, Chapuisat, Frei)

All-time Switzerland best XI – Switzerland national team is one of football national team from Central Europe. Switzerland isn’t among the strongest nation in Europe, but they still manage to reach quarter-final in FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro. Overall, they also compete a lot in major tournament.

Switzerland’s best performances at the FIFA World Cup were three quarter-final appearances, in 1934, 1938 and 1954. They hosted the competition in 1954. Switzerland also co-hosted UEFA Euro 2008, along with Austria. At the UEFA Euro, their best-ever result is reaching quarter final in 2020 edition.

The 30s era is one of the strongest Switzerland team ever. They reach quarter-final of FIFA World Cup in 1934 and 1938, their best achievement in World Cup until now. Some key players from Switzerland in this era are Severino Minelli, Frank Sechehaye, Andre Abegglen and Alfred Bickel.

Switzerland hosted World Cup in 1954. They manage to reach quarter-final again, which they never done it again until now. They losing 7-5 against Austria in the quarter-final, which still stands as the highest scoring World Cup match ever. Some best Switzerland players in 50s era are Oliver Eggimann, Charles Antenen, Willi Steffen, Robert Ballaman and Jacques Fatton.

In modern era, Switzerland qualified to knock-out in major tournament several times, including World Cup round of 16 (2006, 2014, 2018, 2022) and UEFA Euro quarter-final (2020). Some of the most famous Switzerland players in modern era are Johann Vogel, Alexander Frei, Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Ricardo Rodriguez, Yann Sommer and Manuel Akanji.

All-Time Switzerland Best XI

Of course it’s hard to select 11 of best Switzerland players of all time in each position. Below is our selection of all-time Switzerland national team best XI.

GOALKEEPER

1. Yann Sommer

Date of birth : 17 December 1988
Position : Goalkeeper
Caps / goals : 83 caps / 0 goal
Club career :

• 2005-2014 – Basel (Swistzerland)
• 2007-2009 – Vaduz (Swistzerland), loan
• 2009-2010 – Grasshoppers (Swistzerland), loan
• 2014-2023 – Monchengladbach (Germany)
• 2023 – Bayern Munchen (Germany)
• 2023-sekarang – Inter Milan (Italy)

Major tournament participations :

• FIFA World Cup 2014, 2018, 2022
• UEFA Euro 2016, 2020
• UEFA Nations League 2019

Substitutes :

• Frank Sechehaye (1927-1935), 37 caps
• Erwin Ballabio (1939-1947), 27 caps
• Diego Benaglio (2006-2014), 61 caps
• Pascal Zuberbuhler (1994-2008), 51 caps

DEFENDER

2. Severino Minelli

Date of birth : 6 September 1909
Position : Center-back, right-back
Caps / goals : 80 caps / 0 goal
Club career :

• 1929-1930 – Servette (Switzerland)
• 1930-1943 – Grasshoppers (Switzerland)
• 1943-1946 – FC Zurich (Switzerland)

Major tournament participations :

• FIFA World Cup 1934, 1938

3. Stephane Henchoz

Date of birth : 7 September 1974
Position : Center-back
Caps / goals : 72 caps / 0 goal
Club career :

• 1992-1995 – Neuchatel Xamax (Switzerland)
• 1995-1997 – Hamburg (Germany)
• 1997-1999 – Blackburn (England)
• 1999-2005 – Liverpool (England)
• 2005 – Celtic (Scotland)
• 2005-2006 – Wigan Athletic (England)
• 2006-2008 – Blackburn (England)

Major tournament participations :

• UEFA Euro 1996, 2004

4. Stephan Lichtsteiner

Date of birth : 16 January 1984
Position : Right-back
Caps / goals : 108 caps / 8 goals
Club career :

• 2001-2005 – Grasshoppers (Switzerland)
• 2005-2008 – Lille (France)
• 2008-2011 – Lazio (Italy)
• 2011-2018 – Juventus (Italy)
• 2018-2019 – Arsenal (England)
• 2019-2020 – Augsburg (Germany)

Major tournament participations :

• FIFA World Cup 2010, 2014, 2018
• UEFA Euro 2008, 2016

5. Ricardo Rodriguez

Date of birth : 25 August 1992
Position : Left-back
Caps / goals : 108 caps / 9 goals
Club career :

• 2010-2012 – Zurich (Switzerland)
• 2012-2017 – Wolfsburg (Germany)
• 2017-2020 – AC Milan (Italy)
• 2020 – PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), loan
• 2020-current – Torino (Italy)

Major tournament participations :

• FIFA World Cup 2014, 2018
• UEFA Euro 2016, 2020
• UEFA Nations League 2019

Substitutes :

• Alain Geiger (1980-1996), 112 caps, 5 goals
• Patrick Muller (1998-2008), 89 caps, 3 goals
• Oliver Eggimann (1941-1955), 44 caps, 0 goal
• Manuel Akanji (2017-current), 51 caps, 2 goals
• Philippe Senderos (2005-2016), 57 caps, 5 goals
• Johan Djourou (2006-2021), 76 caps, 2 goals
• Rudolf Ramseyer (1920-1931), 59 caps, 5 goals
• Pirmin Stierli (1968-1974), 16 caps, 0 goal
• Willi Steffen (1945-1955), 28 caps, 0 goal

MIDFIELDER

6. Granit Xhaka

Date of birth : 27 September 1992
Position : Defensive midfielder
Caps / goals : 115 caps / 13 goals
Club career :

• 2010-2012 – Basel (Switzerland)
• 2012-2016 – Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany)
• 2016-2023- Arsenal (England)
• 2023-current – Leverkusen (Germany)

Major tournament participations :

• FIFA World Cup 2014, 2018, 2022
• UEFA Euro 2016, 2020
• UEFA Nations League 2019

7. Ciriaco Sforza

Date of birth : 2 March 1970
Position : Midfielder
Caps / goals : 79 caps / 7 goals
Club career :

• 1989-1990 – FC Aarau (Switzerland)
• 1990-1993 – Grasshoppers (Switzerland)
• 1993-1995 – Kaiserslautern (Germany)
• 1995-1996 – Bayern Munchen (Germany)
• 1996-1997 – Inter Milan (Italy)
• 1997-2000 – Kaiserslautern (Germany)
• 2000-2002 – Bayern Munchen (Germany)
• 2002-2006 – Kaiserslautern (Germany)

Major tournament participations :

• FIFA World Cup 1994
• UEFA Euro 1996

8. Xherdan Shaqiri

Date of birth : 10 October 1991
Position : Attacking midfielder, winger
Caps / goals : 96 caps / 26 goals
Club career :

• 2007-2012 – Basel (Switzerland)
• 2012-2015 – Bayern Munchen (Germany)
• 2015 – Inter Milan (Italy)
• 2015-2018 – Stoke City (England)
• 2018-2021 – Liverpool (England)
• 2021-2022 – Lyon (France)
• 2022-sekarang – Chicago Fire (United States)

Major tournament participations :

• FIFA World Cup 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
• UEFA Euro 2016, 2020
• UEFA Nations League 2019

Substitutes :

• Heinz Hermann (1978-1991), 118 caps, 15 goals
• Johann Vogel (1995-2007), 94 caps, 2 goals
• Gokhan Inler (2006-2015), 89 caps, 7 goals
• Valon Behrami (2005-2018), 83 caps, 2 goals
• Tranquillo Barnetta (2004-2014), 75 caps, 10 goals
• Alain Sutter (1985-1996), 68 caps, 5 goals
• Kobi Kuhn (1962-1976), 63 caps, 5 goals
• Karl Odermatt (1965-1973), 50 caps, 10 goals
• Hakan Yakin (2000-2011), 87 caps, 20 goals
• Umberto Barberis (1976-1985), 54 caps, 7 goals

FORWARD

9. Stephane Chapuisat

Date of birth : 28 June 1969
Position : Striker
Caps / goals : 103 caps / 21 goals
Club career :

• 1986-1987 – Malley (Switzerland)
• 1987-1990 – Lausanne-Sport (Switzerland)
• 1991 – Bayer Uerdingen (Germany)
• 1991-1999 – Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
• 1999-2002 – Grasshoppers (Switzerland)
• 2002-2005 – Young Boys (Switzerland)
• 2005-2006 – Lausanne-Sport (Switzerland)

Major tournament participations :

• FIFA World Cup 1994
• UEFA Euro 1996, 2004

10. Josef Hugi

Date of birth : 23 January 1930
Position : Striker
Caps / goals : 34 caps / 22 goals
Club career :

• 1948-1962 – Basel (Switzerland)
• 1962-1963 – Zurich (Switzerland)
• 1963-1964 – Porrentruy (Switzerland)
• 1964-1965 – Laufen (Switzerland)

Major tournament participations :

• FIFA World Cup 1954

11. Alexander Frei

Date of birth : 15 July 1979
Position : Striker
Caps / goals : 84 caps / 42 goal
Club career :

• 1997-1998 – Basel (Switzerland)
• 1998-1999 – Thun (Switzerland)
• 1999-2000 – Luzern (Switzerland)
• 2001-2003 – Servette (Switzerland)
• 2003-2006 – Rennes (France)
• 2006-2009 – Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
• 2009-2013 – Basel (Switzerland)

Major tournament participations :

• FIFA World Cup 2006, 2010
• UEFA Euro 2004, 2008

Substitutes :

• Max Abegglen (1922-1937), 68 caps, 34 goals
• Andre Abegglen (1927-1943), 52 caps, 29 gol
• Kubilay Turkyilmaz (1988-2001), 64 caps, 34 gol
• Haris Seferovic (2013-current), 93 caps, 25 gol
• Charles Antenen (1948-1962), 56 caps, 22 gol
• Jacques Fatton (1946-1955), 53 caps, 28 gol
• Alfred Bickel (1936-1954), 71 caps, 15 gol
• Robert Ballaman (1948-1961), 50 caps, 19 gol

Switzerland National Team All-Time Best XI

That’s our pick for 11 of greatest Swiss players of all time in each position. What do you think? Write down your pick in comment below.