The Nati’s Dwarf Record: Lots of Shooting Festivals – and a Historical Disgrace

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Michael WegmanDeputy Head of Football

“There are no more little ones,” said national coach Berti Vogts. said ex-Nati coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. That is what Union coach Urs Fischer said in December when he analyzed the preliminary round of the World Cup in Qatar.

That may apply to a World Cup or European Championship, but not to the qualification for these final tournaments. There they still exist, the football midgets. Small countries with their own national football team such as Gibraltar with an area of ​​7 square kilometers (km²), San Marino (61 km²), Liechtenstein (160 km²), Malta (316 km²), Andorra (468 km²) or the Faroe Islands (1393 km²) and Luxembourg (2586 km²).

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Countries whose star football players are not football players, but customs officers such as Roy Chipolina, captain of Gibraltar for many years, our opponent in the last European Championship qualifier. This year Murat Yakin’s team will go to Andorra. The small, independent principality in the Pyrenees between France and Spain (Switzerland is almost 100 times larger in area) is best known for its ski resorts, tax haven and tax-free shopping. A little less for his football and his footballers.

The Andorra team has a market value of CHF 2.5 million – Gregor Kobel 35

Since joining UEFA in November 1996, the country has won 197 caps. 13 of them won. In the FIFA world rankings, they are currently ranked 153rd, just ahead of the Maldives and Afghanistan. But way before the last place. That’s number 211, and that’s what San Marino has. The start of qualifying was okay with a 1:1 against Kosovo and a 0:2 in Romania, but in the duel against Switzerland you are still a blatant outsider. The combined value of the 23-man Andorran squad is estimated at 2.5 million francs. By comparison, the value of BVB goalkeeper Gregor Kobel alone is estimated at 35 million.

In a nutshell: Switzerland vs Andorra is not a draw. It is still said that Switzerland is struggling with minor opponents. But that’s a relic of the past. Our record is strong: 131 goals in 42 games against Faroe Islands, San Marino, Gibraltar, Malta, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Andorra. 38 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss. Unforgettable is the 1:2 disgrace against Luxembourg in September 2008 in the Letzigrund under coach Ottmar Hitzfeld. Unforgettable how the then captain Gökhan Inler happily bites into a Luxemburgerli for Blick before the game.

Alex Frei: “It’s a matter of honor to go full throttle against everyone”

Our top scorers against the football midgets? Alex Frei and Kubilay Türkyilmaz with 11 goals each.

After a long, tiring season, how do you go into a game where you are superior to your opponent in every position on paper? Alex Frei: “Every international match was a source of pride for me. Wearing the Swiss jersey has always been an obligation for the country. I never cared whether we played against Italy or the Faroe Islands. Going full throttle against any opponent is a matter of honor.”

The current Aarau coach and Swiss record scorer (42 goals) continues: “Köbi Kuhn knew it: he never has to ask me if I want a break against a small opponent. I’ve always wanted to play.”

Source : Blick

Emma

I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.