Lia Wälti enters the Swiss national team camp as a Champions League winner. The captain talks about underdog chances, big celebrations and a hunger that has not yet been satisfied.
28.05.2025, 16:12
28.05.2025, 16:22
SDA
Driven up by the chauffeur, Lia Wälti is duly welcomed to the Swiss national team camp. Her team-mates stand guard for their 32-year-old captain, who won the European club football crown with Arsenal on Saturday in Lisbon with a 1:0 victory over serial winners FC Barcelona.
"I'm over the moon, we were clearly the underdogs. The fact that we were able to bring the title to London is historic," says Wälti, whose nights have been short since Saturday. "After the game, we had a party in Lisbon with family and friends. On Sunday, we flew back to London and celebrated internally." The official parade in the English capital followed on Monday. "That was the icing on the cake," says Wälti, adding. "They were incredible days, you have to take it all in, because you don't know if you'll experience something like that again."
But back to the trellis. Sydney Schertenleib is there right at the start. The hug from Wälti and the kiss on the cheek from her 18-year-old national team colleague, who lost to the Gunners with Barcelona, are almost apologetic. "I gave her a big hug straight after the game and told her that she would definitely win this title too. She's so talented and plays for arguably the best club in the world. It was an important experience for her."
Like Wälti, who struggled with physical problems in the second half of the season and was not at full strength, Schertenleib also spent 90 minutes on the bench in the final. In the national team, however, both are among Pia Sundhage's key players. There is no time for either of them to catch their breath. On Friday and Tuesday, the decisive matches for remaining in League A of the Nations League are coming up before the big highlight in July with the home European Championships. "My hunger is not yet satisfied," says Wälti. "I want us to light a fire."
