A noble servant of the Swiss national side for 13 years, Valon Behrami now wants to see the current generation continue the nation’s development.
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Valon Behrami won 83 caps for the Swiss national side
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Former midfielder featured at four consecutive World Cups from 2006 to 2018
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Believes the Nati will be right in the mix for a spot at the 2026 tournament
Valon Behrami was an exceptional servant to Switzerland. The midfielder represented his nation 83 times and became the Nati’s first player to feature in four consecutive FIFA World Cups™ between 2006 and 2018.
With an extraordinary engine and a tireless work rate combined with the high footballing IQ, he is regarded as one of the most reliable midfielders of his generation. To sum up his game in a nutshell, Behrami recalls a goal scored by Haris Seferovic against Ecuador at the Brazil 2014. His heroic slide tackle stifled a promising Ecuadorian attack, allowing him to drive forward with the ball and start the move that would eventually lead to the winning goal: “That [bit of play] summed up who I am and how I was”.
Switzerland are looking to once again challenge the big hitters at FIFA World Cup 26, and to do it they will need to find new leaders ready to fill the shoes of their recent stars such as Behrami, Xherdan Shaqiri, Yann Sommer, Fabian Schar and Blerim Dzemaili. Behrami sat down with FIFA to discuss that generational shift, his World Cup memories and more.
FIFA: Switzerland failed to win a game in the most recent UEFA Nations League. Is there a generational shift taking place within the team?
Valon Behrami: Let’s call it an attempt, for now, at a generational shift that has not yet reaped its rewards. It looked like the transformation was well under way with the fantastic results at UEFA EURO 2024 and with a modern style of play.
Having so many experienced players in the national team added a lot of value to your teams. Do Switzerland now need to find new leaders?
Yes. Behind me, there have always been players who were more prepared, mature, and resilient enough to take on the role of leader. [From] the squad that played in the Euros, Switzerland lost Fabian Schar, Yann Sommer and Xherdan Shaqiri. They are important players that need to be replaced.
Are you convinced that Switzerland can qualify for the next FIFA World Cup?
Yes, I’m sure they will, because Switzerland are a team that always step up when the motivation is right. The set-up, I believe, will be very similar to the Switzerland we saw at EURO 2024, especially in terms of key players. Tactically, we surprised people there with a lot of rotations. However, when it comes to the qualifiers, the team’s approach changes significantly. It will go back to being a team built on its core group.
You scored the goal against Turkey which secured Switzerland’s qualification for Germany 2006. Is that one of your fondest memories?
Well, no… I remember that my first two World Cup experiences were a bit of a nightmare! (laughs) I was still a young kid at the first one: I was injured for the first two games but in the third group game I came on for a few minutes against Korea Republic. In the second (South Africa 2010) I got sent off against Chile and practically missed the whole tournament. Let’s just say that Brazil and Russia were much better!
Did you learn more about yourself when playing at those tournaments?
Yes, because when you get to the end of your career, it’s easier to enjoy such a special experience, even if sometimes you have to suffer a bit from the speed of the younger players. With [Granit] Xhaka, [Remo] Freuler and [Blerim] Dzemaili in midfield, we understood the game tactically and were all positionally intelligent. Maybe the Swiss team of tomorrow will have more quality and more talent than the previous generation.
What is your best World Cup memory?
It’s definitely the sequence of play in the game against Ecuador at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In the 90th minute, I stopped a dangerous attack in our own box and from there, I got up and set off down the pitch… I was fouled, but it didn’t stop me and I got up again and we turned defence into attack and then… Haris Seferovic’s goal. That was the best moment because it embodied everything that I am.
What does it feel like to represent Switzerland on the big stage?
We obviously don’t have as much pressure on us as other countries such as Germany or France, because many think we are just “little old Switzerland”, even if our team is full of quality. At the last Euros, we had a goalkeeper that won Serie A (Yann Sommer) a Premier League winning defender (Manuel Akanji), three Bologna players who were part of the squad who qualified for the Champions League this year (Remo Freuler, Dan Ndoye and Michel Aebischer), Granit Xhaka who won the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen. They are top performers, but the mentality is still that of a team that is comfortable where they are. I think that Switzerland’s potential and the results that can be achieved are far more important.
