World Cup Team Checks: Switzerland
April 29, 2006
World Cup qualifiers
After failing to qualify for the past two World Cups, Switzerland got its ticket to Germany through play-offs. In this final round, the team faced Turkey, which came in third in the 2002 World Cup. Following a 2:0 home win in Berne, the game in Istanbul ended 2:4. But the match was marred by tumultuous scenes between players after the game ended. Switzerland in the end narrowly came out on top and is heading to Germany.
Stars
The star player in the team is goal scorer Alexander Frei from Stade Rennais. But the striker had to have surgery on his groin and is fearing for his World Cup participation. Captain Johann Vogel has been playing for AC Milan this season and has attracted interest from Manchester United. There are several well-known players in the Swiss World Cup team from the German Bundesliga: Raphael Wicky (Hamburger SV), Philipp Degen (Borussia Dortmund) and VfB Stuttgart defense Ludovic Magnin.
Trainer
Jakob "Köbi" Kuhn coaches the Swiss team. The former midfielder and six-time champion with FC Zürich has trained the team since 2001. He previously coached the Swiss under-21 team. Kuhn has proven with the senior team that he has the right touch for mixing old hands with young, less experienced players. Under his aegis, Switzerland qualified itself for the World Cup for the first time in 12 years.
World Cup History
Switzerland is participating in the World Cup for the eighth time.
1934: Quarter-finals, 1938: Quarter-finals, 1950: Preliminary round, 1954: Quarter-finals, 1962: Preliminary round, 1966: Preliminary round, 1994: Round of 16
Match Schedule: Preliminary Round
June 13, 2006: France -- Switzerland in Stuttgart
June 19, 2006: Togo -- Switzerland in Dortmund
June 23, 2006: Switzerland -- South Korea in Hanover
World Cup Base
The Swiss are training in western Germany. The international team is putting up at the Kurhotel Fürstenhof in Bad Bertrich, Rhineland-Palatinate.
Outlook
There is no doubt the potential that the Swiss could belong to one of the surprises of the tournament. In its last World Cup participation in 1994 in the United States, the Swiss made it into the round of 16. But this was then the end of the line for Sforza, Chapuisat & Co. The team lost 0:3 against Spain. In the World Cup in Germany, the accomplishment from 1994 should be repeated at least.