The Letzigrund has its own history and has always been linked to FC Zurich. However, outside of the Zurich city club, the stadium is not very popular, at least in football circles. Thanks to the tartan track, on which the world’s best track and field athletes compete every year, the pitch is further away than in classic football stadiums. In addition, there is less atmosphere in the group.
When the Swiss national team played in Zurich, it was almost exclusively in the Hardturm until 2007. After its demolition, the performances in Letzigrund followed, with which the Swiss, however, were just as unable to develop a love relationship as the Grasshoppers fans, who emphasize that they are present at every home game “despite being in exile”.
The Swiss were only able to celebrate at the first international match in the recently reopened Letzigrund on October 13, 2007. Thanks to goals from Marco Streller (2) and Hakan Yakin, coach Köbi Kuhn’s team beat Austria 3-1. It was to be the last Swiss victory in Zurich.
First Nigeria, then the defeat of the century
Just a month later, in November 2007, it suffered its first bitter defeat in the “Letzi”. Switzerland lost their first and so far only international match against Nigeria 0-1. But this was just a foretaste of the game almost a year later, which the then SFV president Ralph Zloczower described as “by far the worst defeat I have ever experienced”.
In the third game under coach Otmar Hitzfeld, Switzerland lost 1-2 to the amateurs from Luxembourg. The defeat in the World Cup qualifier gained an inglorious cult status thanks to the preliminary reporting. “I love Luxemburgerli,” was the title of a text in “Blick,” accompanied by a photo by Gökhan Inler that showed the midfielder with his mouth open and a handful of the famous pastries.
The tabloids afterwards described the 1:2 as a “defeat of the century”, comparable to the 0:1 in Baku in 1996. But more moderate newspapers also found clear words. Switzerland had “received a slap in the face for eternity,” wrote “Le Nouvelliste,” and the performance was “absolutely miserable,” said the “Tages-Anzeiger.” For the “Basler Zeitung” the game was “simply catastrophic”.
Reconciliation beckons
It took seven years for the Swiss national team to return to Letzigrund. However, there were no more serious fights in Zurich; the three appearances after the Luxembourg embarrassment were test matches. There was a 1-1 draw against the USA (2015) and against Kosovo (2022), in between Switzerland lost 0-2 against Bosnia (2016).
Unexciting opponents, even less exhilarating performances: This is how the Swiss international matches in Letzigrund can be summarized. That should change on Friday. “There is a chance of avoiding relegation in the Nations League. We will give everything to achieve this,” said Pierluigi Tami, director of the national teams, at the beginning of the week. Therefore, only a win against Serbia counts, with which Switzerland would catch up with the Serbs on points. Only then would there be a long-distance duel for third place in the group in the last round.
Even if the Nations League doesn’t have the highest priority, Letzigrund is about something again after a long time. After many dismal games, reconciliation with the Zurich stadium beckons – or there will be the next bitter disappointment.
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