Switzerland

Coach:

Koebi Kuhn

Born: 12/10/43

Goalkeepers

Diego Benaglio (VFL Wolfsburg)

Born: 08/09/83 Caps: 12 Goals: 0

Switzerland's recent first choice goalkeeper at the expense of Pascal Zuberbuehler after some impressive performances in the German Bundesliga with Wolfsburg. Agile and fast, he also commands his defence well despite being one of the quietest team members off the pitch.

Pascal Zuberbuehler (Neuchatel Xamax)

Born: 08/01/71 Caps: 50 caps Goals: 0

Switzerland's first-choice goalkeeper at the last World Cup, Zuberbuehler was also the single goalie to leave the tournament without conceding a goal in regulation time. His erratic performances saw him dropped in favour of Benaglio.

Eldin Jakupovic (Grasshoppers Zurich)

Born: 02/10/84 Caps: 0 Goals: 0

A Bosnian-born keeper who came to international prominence during FC Thun’s shock Champions League qualification. He returned to former club Grasshoppers on loan from Lokomotiv Moscow at the start of last season in the hope of a European Championship place, which was secured when Fabio Coltorti was ruled out.

Defenders

Ludovic Magnin (VFB Stuttgart)

Born: 20/04/79 Caps: 50 Goals: 3

Trained as a school teacher, Magnin often has the look of an excited student and is emotional on the pitch in an un-Swiss manner. He’s a left-back who loves going forward and can also take a mean free-kick. He’s won Bundesliga titles with Werder Bremen and Stuttgart but suffered from recurring ankle injuries last season.

Christoph Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Born: 30/03/78 Caps: 39 Goals: 0

Magnin’s main rival for the left-back position and often favoured for matches where Switzerland are expected to be more on the back foot. He’s solid but lacking Magnin’s attacking capabilities. He’s also extended his contract at Frankfurt.

Philippe Senderos (Arsenal)

Born: 14/02/85 Caps 28 Goals: 3

A European champion at junior level, captaining Switzerland to the adolescent title, he is a first-choice central defender. Strong in the air at both ends of the pitch, he scored against South Korea at the last World Cup with a brave header that left him with blood streaming down his face.

Patrick Mueller (Olympique Lyon)

Born: 17/12/76 Caps: 78 Goals: 3

Switzerland’s most experienced team member and can read the game that often makes up for his lack of pace. A cruciate knee ligament tear appeared to have ended his European Championship chances but he proved his fitness in the nick of time after walking out on Lyon before the French Cup final.

Johan Djourou (Arsenal)

Born: 18/01/87 Caps: 17 Goals: 1

Seemed set to replace Mueller in the heart of the Swiss defence after an impressive World Cup campaign but has since faced his own problems with injuries and a lack of first-team action. Djourou is strong and can also feature in midfield.

Stephane Grichting (Auxerre)

Born: 30/03/79 Caps: 18 Goals: 0

Proved more than capable at the World Cup after replacing the injured Mr Senderos in a draw with Ukraine. Switzerland’s second group stage match against could prove a test after Mr Grichting was hospitalised after a post-match brawl that marred Switzerland’s World Cup qualifiers win.

Philipp Degen (Borussia Dortmund)

Born: 15/02/83 Caps: 30 Goals: 0

An attack-minded right-back who has often formed an effective partnership with his twin brother, right-sided midfielder David Degen who did not make the squad after getting injured. Degen is set to join Liverpool following the tournament.

Stephan Lichtsteiner (Lille)

Born: 16/01/84 Caps: 12 Goals: 0

Lichsteiner completed an apprenticeship in banking while at Grasshoppers Zurich and has proven himself as reliable and unflappable on the pitch as the Swiss banker. A regular first-team member at Lille despite squad rotator Claude Puel.

Valon Behrami (Lazio)

Born: 19/04/85 Caps: 16 Goal: 2

A Kosovo-born right-back who was taken to Switzerland at the age of four when war broke out in his home region. Behrami has long been a regular at Lazio, but is on the fringes for Switzerland. He has the reputation of an outsider within the Swiss squad while his tattoos and haircuts have seen him dubbed “Switzerland’s David Beckham.”

Gokhan Inler (Udinese)

Born: 27/06/84 Caps: 17 Goals: 1

A defensive midfielder who has made the big leap from Swiss football to the Italian Serie A with surprising ease. Inler was voted best foreign newcomer there.

Midfielders

Gelson Fernandes (Manchester City)

Born: 02/09/86 Caps: 8 Goals: 0

Born in the Cape Verde islands, Fernandes moved to Switzerland at the age of five and developed a love of football when his father found work as a groundsman at local club FC Sion.

Benjamin Huggel (Basel)

Born: 07/07/77 Caps: 25 Goals: 0

Popular with both fans and teammates, Huggel is a defensive midfielder rated as much for his fighting spirit as his ball skills. He missed out on the World Cup after being banned for his part in a post-match brawl. Although he looks good at Basel, he made little impact in two seasons at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer Leverkusen)

Born: 22/05/85 Caps: 32 Goals: 6

A European champion with Switzerland’s adolescents, Barnetta is well known for his speed and ball control.

Hakan Yakin (Young Boys)

Born: 22/02/77 Caps: 66 Goals: 15

Yakin looks to have rediscovered his form after several injuries and misguided transfers. After failing to break through at PSG, Stuttgart and Galatasaray, Yakin has blossomed back in Switzerland.

Ricardo Cabanas (Grasshoppers Zurich)

Born: 17/01/79 Caps: 49 Goals: 4

A central midfielder with a reputation as a battler despite his small frame. Cabanas returned to Grasshoppers following relegation from the Bundesliga with Cologne. Missed most of the first half of the past season due to a knee operation but has looked strong since his return.

Johan Vonlanthen (Salzburg)

Born: 01/02/86 Caps: 30 Goals: 6

A Colombian-born former striker who has proved effective on the Swiss right wing since dropping back from the front line.

Daniel Gygax (Metz)

Born: 28/08/81 Caps: 34 Goals: 5

An attacking midfielder whose regular appearances for relegated Metz could see him favoured over Vonlanthen in the Swiss starting line-up. He has an important supporter in Alice Kuhn, the wife of coach Koebi Kuhn, who has described him as her favourite.

Forwards

Alex Frei (Borussia Dortmund)

Born: 15/07/79 Caps: 59 Goals: 35

Built compared to most centre forwards, the Swiss captain has proved his goal-scoring abilities for both club and national.

Marco Streller (Basel)

Born: 18/06/81 Caps: 28 Goals: 11

Nimble and skilful despite his 1.97-metre frame, Streller would appear to be the perfect strike partner for Alex Frei, having first featured alongside him for the local junior team. He won the Bundesliga title with Stuttgart but returned to Basel.

Eren Derdiyok (Basel)

Born: 12/06/88 Caps: 3 Goals: 1

A talented teenager who benefited from Switzerland’s striker shortage to make an earlier international debut, despite still being a substitute for Basel. He was rewarded Koebi Kuhn’s faith in his abilities with a stunning equaliser against England.