Switzerland wins World Championship silver for the 4th time in modern times. That is a disappointment after this tournament. But perhaps the first title is only postponed, the development is certainly right.
26.05.2025, 12:00
26.05.2025, 15:57
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- Switzerland loses the final of the Ice Hockey World Championship against the USA in overtime and misses out on its first title win.
- The disappointment after the defeat is huge. However, the positive trend should not be overlooked.
- In the nine years under coach Patrick Fischer, the national team has developed rapidly. Switzerland is no longer a candidate for the quarter-finals, but a constant medal contender.
Twelve years ago in Stockholm, when the Swiss reached the World Cup final for the first time in the modern era, even the players were amazed at the success that nobody had expected. As recently as 1997, they had played in the B group and had only managed direct promotion as hosts of the A World Championships in 1998. This time, the joy over the silver medal is very muted. After an almost perfect tournament, gold in the final against the USA seemed to be on a plate.
For the first time after Sweden (twice) and the Czech Republic, the final opponent was not one of the major powers in their own stadium or at their neighbor's (Sweden 2018 in Copenhagen). The expectations have risen, and the players also wanted this first World Cup title for Switzerland at all costs and failed once again.
Fischer thinks big, as do the players
Nevertheless, the positive trend should not be overlooked. The fact that a silver medal can now be a disappointment shows the steep development in the nine years under the leadership of head coach Patrick Fischer. Switzerland is no longer a candidate for the quarter-finals, but a constant medal contender - which is one of the reasons why the NHL players are pulling out all the stops to be able to play at the World Championships. This is largely down to Fischer and his style.
"In Switzerland, it's frowned upon to be self-confident. Unfortunately," says Fischer. "But it's the only way to succeed. I've worked on this with my coaching staff for many years." Fischer's brash manner was not always appreciated everywhere. The 49-year-old Zug native himself is not free from self-doubt either. Just two years ago, after failing to reach the quarter-finals in Riga for the fourth time in a row, he asked the team a question of confidence. Their answer was clear: They wanted to continue with Fischer, and the association extended his contract until after the 2026 home World Cup.
Fischer has also grown as a coach in his nine years in charge, but his greatest strength since taking over has been his ability to get players excited about his project. Even NHL millionaires enjoy playing for him, Switzerland and their teammates, partly because they are convinced they can play for the medals every time. They have now done so for the third time in the last seven tournaments.
A finals trauma?
The fact that they once again failed to win the World Championship title may be down to bad luck with injuries. Roman Josi, one of the best defensemen in the world, was missing, and Nico Hischier, the captain and center of the first line, was out from Game 4 onwards. Even though everyone put themselves at the service of the team and the team spirit was exemplary, in the end one team was once again a little stronger. Should we talk about a final trauma? The next few years will tell.
The fact is that the window for a World Cup title remains open, perhaps as early as next year at the home World Cup. Switzerland will be among the medal candidates for the foreseeable future. Switzerland benefits threefold from Russia's exclusion. Firstly, there is one less competitor for the medals. Secondly, they were able to take their place in the Euro Hockey Tour and therefore gain the invaluable experience of regular duels with the major powers Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic. Thirdly, the level in the national championship rose enormously due to the flood of Olympic and world champions who moved from the KHL to Switzerland.
It remains to be seen whether the development with the six foreigners will be good for Swiss field hockey in the long term. For the time being, however, they have made the Swiss, who are holding their own in the clubs, better.
