He has a lot to offer to become a leading player in the national team: Fabian Rieder is also back on track at the club after a strong European Championship.
He doesn't want to go into that in detail, says Rieder when asked about his "standing" in the national team in the pavilion next to the training ground in St. Gallen. "I think I'm still one of the youngest players in the squad." The Bernese player glances briefly at the Swiss Football Association media officer sitting next to him, who nods in agreement. Rieder is not only one of the youngest, he is the youngest player in the current squad. He will be 23 years old in February.
That can sometimes be forgotten in view of his composed demeanor. Rieder has not only quickly carved out an important role for himself on the pitch, he has also established himself as a spokesman who can be sent into a multilingual interview zone without hesitation.
Rieder always answers thoughtfully and never lets himself get flustered. In June, shortly after his move to Stuttgart, he was asked how he felt about Bayern. In previous interviews, Rieder had expressed his sympathy for Munich. The question only elicits a smile from him. Bayern heart is an exaggeration, he explains. He was more a fan of individual players than of the club. A confident save, one would say for a goalkeeper.
Nominated as "Rookie of the month"
To realize how quickly Rieder has risen in the national team hierarchy, you have to look back a good five months. When Rieder was called up for the European Championship in Germany in May, it came as a surprise to many. At that time, he was only playing sporadically for Rennes and had not even played for the national team for over a year.
In the preparations for the tournament and in the first two group matches, Rieder is still a substitute or comes on as a substitute. His big moment came in Frankfurt, when he was in the starting eleven against Germany and justified his nomination with a fighting performance. He also started in the knockout matches against Italy and England.
Things also happened very quickly in club football. In Stuttgart, where he has a loan contract, Rieder plays in all league matches and both Champions League games. Six times from the substitutes' bench, twice from the start. He kicks standards and also scores his first Bundesliga goal from a free kick. The league recently nominated him alongside Bayern Munich's Michael Olise and Frankfurt's Kaua Santos as "Rookie of the Month for September".
Goal in the national team still missing
Rieder says he was not surprised by his rapid rise. After all, he always believed in himself - despite the interim slump in Ligue 1. "I tried to show the coaching team in Rennes that I was ready," says Rieder. You have to accept that it didn't work out. Because: "In football, not everything is always peace, joy and pancakes." He is all the happier now in Stuttgart, where those in charge are counting on him.
National coach Murat Yakin has also placed his trust in him several times. Under him, Rieder made his national team debut at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and was in the starting line-up for the first time in the second group match against Brazil. In his current form, he is also a starting eleven candidate for the upcoming matches against Serbia and Denmark. His biggest rivals on the wing - following the absence of Ruben Vargas due to injury - are Dan Ndoye and Zeki Amdouni. Compared to these two, Rieder has the better tackling ability. What he still lacks, however, is his first goal for the national team.
Which brings us back to the initial question about Rieder's standing in the national team. He has shown that he can play an important role, replies the youngest member of the team. He wants to prove that again. "Regardless of whether I'm in the starting eleven or a substitute." Calm to the end.
