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Yvan Quentin (left), Gianni Infantino, and Georges Bregy watched the match between Switzerland and Qatar.
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Ivan Quentin, a former Swiss national team fullback, watched Switzerland’s World Cup opener live at the stadium. He spoke with blue News about his brief but intense trip to California.
What do Tom Cruise, Jay-Z, Katy Perry, David Beckham, and Yvan Quentin have in common? They’ve all watched at least one World Cup match from the stands. Yvan Quentin was also among this star-studded crowd. An unassuming man from Valais amidst all the glitz and glamour—the former Swiss national team defender was invited by FIFA to watch the Switzerland vs. Qatar match in person.
“This invitation is a little nod to our participation in the 1994 World Cup,” smiles the man from Monthey, who found himself back in San Francisco—32 years after he played against Colombia (0–2) in that California city.
The longtime Sion and FCZ pro landed in the United States on Friday afternoon. No sooner had he stepped off the plane than he was stopped by a police officer. “I wondered what I’d done wrong. But he was just there to help me get through customs,” laughs the 56-year-old. That’s because FIFA spared no expense or effort for its guests. Yvan Quentin was driven in a private car to his hotel in San Jose—“a very pretty little town”—south of San Francisco.
On Saturday, there’s no time to enjoy the capital of Silicon Valley, as the meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. sharp. Accompanied by Georges Bregy, his Swiss national team teammate from 1994, and the president of FC Lutry, Yvan Quentin sets off for Santa Clara to the impressive 49ers stadium, where six matches of this World Cup will be played.
It’s a short 15-minute drive, under heavy security. “We had special access, as two police cars led the way in front of our bus and four or five police officers on motorcycles blocked off all the roads along our route—even the highway.”
Outside the stadium, a sniffer dog inspected the vehicle and checked the driver before the group entered the FIFA box, where hors d’oeuvres and champagne awaited the day’s guests—along with President Gianni Infantino. “I never thought I’d get into the box. I felt a little silly when I found myself in the midst of such high society. I wondered what I was actually doing there,” Quentin says.
There he met Youri Djorkaeff and legendary coach Bora Milutinović, who played in five World Cups with five different national teams. “Since I knew Gianni (Infantino) a little, I hurried to take two or three selfies before the game, because I was sure I’d have to leave.”
Yvan Quentin also ran into Youri Djorkaeff.
Photo fournie par Yvan Quentin
So there he was, sitting in the presidential box next to the 1998 French World Cup champion and behind the officials. “I had my little name tag next to my seat, just in case I got lost,” he laughs. “I got messages from people who’d seen me on TV asking if it was really me.” Together with Djorkaeff and Bregy, however, they weren’t exactly thrilled with the national team’s performance.
“The atmosphere was really good; the fans were singing and making noise. But like many others, we also grumbled a bit about this Swiss team.” Yvan Quentin, however, isn’t alarmed. “An opening match at a World Cup is always difficult. Just look at Spain. I’m not worried, but the guys still have to give it their all against Bosnia.”
The 41-time international will once again watch the national team’s second game on Thursday evening from Valais. His stay in California, which ended on Monday evening, was short but intense. “On Sunday and Monday, I was able to enjoy my hotel’s pool—on Monday, I even ended up in a huge shopping mall where I got lost while trying to buy a few souvenirs for my grandchildren.”
By Wednesday morning, Yvan Quentin was back in his office in the canton of Valais, where he works in human resources. “In the end, the trip wasn’t so short after all. I’m very grateful and happy that they thought of me.”
