Switzerland
Friday, March 1, 2013
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Switzerland were the first European Under-17 champions in 2002 and seven years later won the world title.
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Switzerland won the first UEFA European Under-17 Championship in 2002 with the likes of Reto Ziegler, Philippe Senderos and Tranquillo Barnetta in the squad, and have remained a threat at this level ever since. That potential was realised most in 2009 when, having reached the last four of the continental finals in Germany, they travelled to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria and beat the hosts 1-0 to lift the title, only the third European nation to do so.
They last qualified in 2010, losing all three games, but their solid elite round display has given hope of a better tournament under Heinz Moser – the same coach as in Liechtenstein three years ago – who said: "We are ready."
Qualifying round: Faroe Islands 3-0, Cyprus 5-1, Austria 1-1 (Group 6 winners)
Elite round: Poland 0-0, Israel 2-1, Czech Republic 1-0 (Group 5 winners)
Key players
Nicolas Stettler (defender, FC Zürich), Eric Briner (midfielder, BSC Young Boys), Marco Trachsel (forward, Grasshopper-Club), Nicolas Hunziker (forward, FC Basel 1893)
Coach: Heinz Moser
Date of birth: 12 October 1967
Nationality: Swiss
Playing career: FC Schattdorf, FC Luzern (twice), BSC Young Boys, FC Sion, FC Thun
Coaching career: Switzerland U17
Moser signed for Luzern aged 19, going on to make 125 appearances and winning the 1989 Swiss championship. After Luzern were relegated in 1992 – the same year the club won the Swiss Cup – he left for Young Boys, where he featured in 92 league games as both defender and midfielder. He then went to Sion, landing the 1996 Swiss Cup before returning to newly promoted Luzern.
Moser ended his playing days at Thun and after retiring in 2003 joined the club's management team as marketing director. In summer 2008 he switched to the Swiss Football Association (SFV-ASF) and at the start of 2010 took over the U17 team, earning European qualification, a feat he repeated in 2013.
Team records
Qualifying top scorer
Marco Trachsel, Nicolas Hunziker: 2
UEFA European Under-17 Championship best
Winners: 2002
Other honours
FIFA U-17 World Cup
Winners: 2009