Twice close, but never in the knockout phase

European Championship 2017: the premiere of the "golden generation"

When people talk about the 2017 national team, they still like to use the phrase "golden generation". It is a description that seems entirely appropriate when you consider the greats of local women's football who donned the red and white jersey back then: Lara Dickenmann, the former record international and multiple Champions League winner, Martina Moser, Caroline Abbé, the current team manager, of course Gaëlle Thalmann, the long-time number 1 in goal, and FCZ icon Fabienne Humm.

However, with Lia Wälti, Géraldine Reuteler, Ramona Bachmann, Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic, Noelle Maritz, Eseosa Aigbogun, Viola Calligaris, Sandrine Mauron and Meriame Terchoun, the squad already included nine players eight years ago who are still part of the national team today. In this respect, the term "golden generation" may seem a little glorified, but this can primarily be explained by the fact that this SFA team achieved something that no one before it had managed: it qualified for a European Championship and was thus represented in Europe's elite for the first time two years after the World Cup premiere in Canada.

Lara Dickenmann has played 135 international matches for Switzerland

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Under German coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, the Swiss women literally marched through the qualifiers. In Group 6, they remained flawless in eight games, impressing with a goal difference of 34:3 and leaving Italy and the Czech Republic, among others, behind.

However, the European Championship tournament in the Netherlands started with the worst-case scenario for the Swiss: they lost 0:1 to Austria in Deventer and saw their chances of finishing in the top two in Group C dwindle. But Voss-Tecklenburg's team did not give up and celebrated their historic first European Championship victory (2:1) against outsiders Iceland in Doetinchem after goals from Dickenmann and Bachmann, thus keeping their chances of a quarter-final ticket alive ahead of the final group game against France.

Things looked excellent for a long time against the Equipe tricolore. Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic put Switzerland ahead in Breda after 19 minutes with a header, and because Eve Périsset had been shown the red card shortly beforehand after an emergency brake against Ramona Bachmann, all the advantages suddenly seemed to be on Switzerland's side. But on 76 minutes, Camille Abily beat goalkeeper Thalmann with a direct free-kick to dash Switzerland's quarter-final dreams.

Euro 2022: Virus, isolation and annoyed favorites

The road to the second European Championship is much rockier for the Swiss. The team under coach Nils Nielsen kept their chances of finishing first in Group H until the last matchday of qualifying. A draw against direct rivals Belgium would be enough for Switzerland to secure a direct ticket to the European Championship, but the SFA team experienced a debacle in Leuven. After a 4-0 defeat, the Swiss team had to go through to the play-offs, and even there their nerves were frayed.

Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic's penalty goal in the 90th minute saved Switzerland a 1-1 draw away from home against the Czech Republic, and because the score was still 1-1 after extra time four days later in the Stockhorn Arena in Thun, a penalty shoot-out had to be held to decide who would go through to the finals in England. Gaëlle Thalmann saves three Czech attempts from the spot and causes jubilation in the Swiss camp.

Nils Nielsen.

Keystone

Arriving in the motherland of football, Nils Nielsen's team could not have made a better start to their second European Championship campaign. Less than five minutes had been played in the first game against Portugal and Switzerland were leading 2-0 after goals from Coumba Sow and Rahel Kiwic. But in the second half, the Swiss conceded the lead within seven minutes and had to settle for a point in tranquil Wigan & Leigh. This was a disappointment against the nominally weakest opponents in the group, who only joined the group due to the exclusion of the Russian team. But because the Swedes and defending champions the Netherlands also shared the points, Switzerland's chances of reaching the knockout phase are intact.

However, sporting aspects quickly faded into the background for the Leeds-based Swiss. Nine players and a number of staff members were laid up after contracting a stomach virus. The Swiss delegation isolate themselves in their hotel. Coach Nielsen has to prepare the players for the most important aspects of their next opponents, Sweden, with the help of video snippets via WhatsApp. In a video call from his hotel room two days before the match, the Dane is not sure whether he will be able to field eleven fit players, and Nielsen struggles with the UEFA regulations, which stipulate that a match must be played if a coach can nominate seven players.

As unfavorable as the preparation was, the Swiss then put up a brave fight in Sheffield, where Nielsen was actually able to send eleven players onto the pitch. Ramona Bachmann scored after 55 minutes with a spectacular shot to equalize the Scandinavians' lead.

The Swiss could again dream of winning a point, but eleven minutes before the end Hanna Bennison scored to give one of the tournament favorites a flattering 2:1 victory.

But even after this next setback, a Swiss quarter-final qualification remains possible - with a win against the Netherlands, the Swiss would leave the "Oranje Leeuwinnen" behind. Once again, Switzerland put in an impressive performance at the venerable Bramall Lane, the oldest stadium in the world (built in 1855), where professional football is still played. Géraldine Reuteler equalized the Dutch team's lead, and it took two goals from substitute Romée Leuchter and one from Victoria Pelova in the final minutes to finally end Switzerland's hopes of staying in the tournament.