Netherlands vs Switzerland, UEFA Women’s EURO. Photo by James Whitehead (All rights reserved – Sporting Her).
The Switzerland Women’s National Team are set to play in their second FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer. Previously, they have played only once before, back in 2015 where Canada knocked them out in the Round-of-16. Their debut in 2015 included a 10-1 win against Ecuador with a hattrick from striker, Ramona Bachmann.
Prior to this summers tournament, La Nati ended their UEFA Women’s EURO journey in the group stages after picking up a single point. But their successful WWC2023 qualifying campaign took them to 8/10 wins and only one loss against Italy. They qualified directly to the play-offs where they beat Wales 2-1 to secure their place down under.
Switzerland will face co-hosts New Zealand, Philippines and Norway in Group A. Goalkeeper Gaëlle Thalmann, Arsenal duo Noelle Maritz and Lia Wälti, and Barcelona’s forward Ana Maria Crnogorčević have all played over 100 times for their country and will be key players this summer for their nation. La Nati will play their first match of the tournament on 21st July against the Philippines.
Our squad for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand!#natimiteuch #lanatiavecvous #lanaticonvoi pic.twitter.com/vpYW1Y6ut5
— 🇨🇭 Nati (@nati_sfv_asf) July 3, 2023
The Manager
Inka Grings, manager since 2022, made 96 appearances for her country (Germany). Since her retirement in 2014, she has managed sides such as MSV Duisburg and FC Zürich Frauen before taking up the job with La Nati. As a former striker, Grings encourages forward play as much as possible.
Key Players
Arguably the most experienced player in the squad, Gaëlle Thalmann, has the responsibility of shot stopper in the Swiss defence this summer. As the Goalkeeper for the entire qualifying period there is little doubt about it. Grings likes a back four, one she is comfortable with. Arsenal’s Lia Wälti will captain her nation during this summers tournament and rightly so. Her incredible experiences both on and off the pitch and her passing abilities, with over 100 international caps, she’s bound to lead the Swiss midfield. Grings doesn’t fall short of power within her strikers. Humm is prolific in front of goal whereas, Aston Villa’s Alisha Lehmann and Freiburg’s Svenja Folmli are two with the ability to make an impact in the latter stages of a match.
Watch the squad announcement video here:
Read more about La Nati: Road to the World Cup 2023 here.
To read more Women’s World Cup related articles, click here.
Follow Sporting Her on social media: Instagram // Twitter // Facebook
