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"Wants to follow Jesus Christ" How U21 national team player Silvan Wallner explains his early career end

SDA

10.11.2024 - 16:40

Became Swiss champion with FC Zurich 2022: Silvan Wallner
Became Swiss champion with FC Zurich 2022: Silvan Wallner
Keystone

Silvan Wallner, Swiss champion with FC Zurich in 2022, is ending his football career at the age of just 22. The retirement is for religious reasons.

Keystone-SDA

10.11.2024, 16:40

10.11.2024, 17:08

Wallner only took the plunge abroad at the beginning of September, moving from FC Zurich to Austrian Bundesliga club Blau-Weiss Linz. "I want to follow Jesus Christ, and the biblical day of rest has become important to me," the Zurich native is quoted as saying on the Linz club's website. "For me as a professional, this means that from now on I don't want to play football for a living on Saturdays."

Resignation due to religion. Malenovic on Wallner:

Resignation due to religionMalenovic on Wallner: "For me, that's a bit questionable"

According to Blau-Weiss Linz, both sides have agreed on an early termination of the contract. Wallner's contract originally ran until 2026 and the defender had informed the club that he no longer felt able to continue his active professional career as a footballer due to personal reasons.

Wallner comes from FC Zurich's youth ranks, played 51 competitive matches for the professionals and was a member of the championship-winning team in the 2021/22 season. Wallner was still on the pitch for the Swiss U21 national team in September in the 2-1 defeat against Albania.