Mall becomes Cyprus national goalkeeper: “I had to swear on the Bible!”

Mall has had the pass since Tuesday and the former Aarau and GC goalkeeper is part of the squad for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Georgia and Norway. Thanks also to the football association, which has gained steam in recent weeks. Despite the association’s support, the naturalization process was not trivial. According to Mall, he had to provide “1,000 documents”. “In the end I had to swear with my hand on the Bible that I respect Cyprus and the law of the land.”

Shopping center on the way to Servette

And he will. “I am very grateful to the country and the people and I want to give something back to Cyprus. Both my children were born here and took their first steps here. We have built something here, we have found friends.” Since moving from Darmstadt to Cyprus in the summer of 2018, the 1.96 meter tall giant has played for four different Cypriot clubs. The goalkeeper is well known in the country. And with his new national colleagues “I know practically everyone and have been very well received.”

As a debut, he soon had to sing a song in the dressing room. It probably won’t be the national anthem. “It’s very difficult,” says Mall. Even the national language, Greek, is not easy. Although he understands a lot, he cannot give interviews. “But English is spoken everywhere on the island.”

Return to Switzerland pending

Mall cannot yet say whether he will be in the starting eleven in the European Championship qualifiers and face Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland on Tuesday. In any case, he does not claim: “Being called up for the national team is a privilege.”

However, in Cypriot club football, Mall’s time is likely to come to an end. According to information from Blick, a change to Servette is imminent. Mall was supposed to meet coach René Weiler there. Together, the two rose to the Super League in 2013 with Aarau.