SRF and Nati: Rainer Maria Salzgeber presenter for the last time

Final whistle in Tenerife: The Swiss national team loses its last game in the Nations League 2:3. While the players say goodbye to the fans with bowed heads, commentator Sascha Ruefer’s analysis after the game is shorter. Instead, he ends the evening with a hymn of thanks to Rainer Maria Salzgeber: “I say thank you, Rainer, my friend, for the time we were able to experience together. You were always an exemplary team player.” After 28 years, Salzgeber accompanied the national team in an international game for the last time.

At the beginning of the broadcast, Salzgeber, in his burgundy suit, led the evening in the studio at Leutschenbach as usual: the usual introduction and analysis, together with expert Benjamin Huggel, as well as the live connection to reporter Jeff Baltermia and commentator Sascha Ruefer.

Even after the game, Salzgeber remained professional: “My last appearance was all about the national team,” he said into the camera. A brief smile escaped him when national coach Murat Yakin thanked Salzgeber for his years of work. Yakin added with a wink that he was looking forward to the next round of golf together – probably knowing that he would also have a small appearance that evening.

Flashy dialect, flashy outfits

Since the 1996 European Championships in England, Salzgeber has been in the orbit of the national team. With his distinctive Valais dialect and his sometimes eye-catching outfits, he has established himself as a defining figure in the international match environment over the past 28 years.

The 55-year-old grew up in Raron in Upper Valais and began his journalistic career at Swiss television in 1994. For his moderation during the home European Championships in 2008, he received the Swiss Television Prize and was then named Swiss Sports Journalist of the Year. Many other moderations followed, such as the 2008 World Footballer Election, other award ceremonies – and since 2014, analysis together with experts when the national team played.

In connection with the national team, a memorable moment that went viral in 2018 is also remembered as Salzgeber a mathematics duel with Manuel Akanji lost. The national player solved the tasks in his head faster than the presenter could enter them into his calculator on his cell phone.

But Salzgeber was not only responsible for the national team. He also moderates the “Sportpanorama”, Super and Champions League games, the “Sports Awards” and the “Donnschtig-Jass” – and will continue to do so.

Thanks from the national team

It was a great honor for him, said Salzgeber at the supposed end of the evening – before expert Benjamin Huggel intervened. The former national player thanked him himself, and a video was played on the screen with messages of thanks from Captain Granit Xhaka, media spokesman Adrian Arnold, assistant coach Giorgio Contini and Murat Yakin again.

Starting next year, Paddy Kälin will take over Salzgeber’s role in reporting on the Swiss national team. The 48-year-old from Eastern Switzerland has been working at SRF since 2000 and has moderated numerous sports and major events. Benjamin Huggel will continue to work as an expert.

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