Xherdan Shaqiri

Few players in Swiss football have gone the distance Xherdan Shaqiri has . He came through FC Basel's academy after starting out at SV Augst, broke into the first team in 2009 and, over three seasons, won three Swiss Super League titles and two Swiss Cups before Bayern Munich paid €11.6 million for him in February 2012. Spells at Olympique Lyonnais and Chicago Fire followed before his contract in the United States was mutually terminated in 2024.

In August 2024 he returned to FC Basel, signing until 2027. He has made 73 appearances and scored 30 goals for the club since coming back.

Internationally, Shaqiri's record stands apart: 125 caps and 32 goals for Switzerland, and appearances at six consecutive major tournaments between 2010 and 2024, including a hat-trick against Honduras at the 2014 World Cup. He became the first player to score in each of the last three World Cups and European Championships, before retiring from international football in July 2024 after Euro 2024. He was named an Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo in 2014.