Granit Xhaka is only the ninth Swiss to win the championship title in Germany. These are his predecessors in the Bundesliga.
Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka won the first championship title in club history with Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday. He was one of the guarantors of Leverkusen’s success this season. Bayer 04 were looking for a leading player in the 31-year-old – and the club got him. Xhaka followed up his announcement that he wanted to achieve great things with Leverkusen. He carried out on the field what coach Xabi Alonso ordered. In the end there was a superior championship.
Before Xhaka, eight other Swiss have triumphed in the Bundesliga, two even with different clubs.
Yann Sommer, FC Bayern (2023)
The goalkeeper’s short time in Munich was not a good one. He was brought in as Manuel Neuer’s representative, but unlike before in Mönchengladbach, Sommer was unable to convince. Rather, he contributed to the team’s uncertainty. Nevertheless, he won the title with Munich – because Dortmund made a mistake with goalie Gregor Kobel on the last matchday.
Xherdan Shaqiri, FC Bayern (2013, 2014, 2015)
Xherdan Shaqiri won three championships in a row with Bayern Munich. It was perhaps the club’s best time. In 2013 he also won the Champions League with Bayern under coach Jupp Heynckes. However, he did not play a major role. The number of his appearances decreased from season to season; In 2015 he moved to Inter Milan.
Diego Benaglio, VfL Wolfsburg (2009)
It was completely different to Yann Sommer with Diego Benaglio. The Swiss national goalie was one of the pillars of Wolfsburg’s championship success under coach Felix Magath. Calmness and strong nerves characterized him not only in his championship year. The Swiss was one of the most reliable and best goalies in the Bundesliga for many years.
Marwin Hitz, VfL Wolfsburg (2009)
Marwin Hitz was also part of the Wolfsburg championship team in 2009. However, today’s FCB goalie was not used. Incidentally, the Swiss goalkeepers Benaglio and Hitz were trained by the Swiss goalie coach Andreas Hilfiker in the 2009 championship year.
Marco Streller, VfB Stuttgart (2007)
The striker was in the right place in the 2006/2007 season. He was part of the Stuttgart ensemble that sensationally won the championship on the last match day. Although Streller wasn’t part of the regular formation, he didn’t play an unimportant role. He scored five times in his 27 appearances.
Ludovic Magnin, Werder Bremen (2004) and VfB Stuttgart (2007)
In the championship year of 2007, Ludovic Magnin was Marco Streller’s teammate in Stuttgart. He brought order to the defense. He had already become champion in the Bundesliga three years earlier – albeit with Werder Bremen. Unlike in Stuttgart, he only had a supporting role there. In Bremen’s championship year he only made four appearances.
Ciriaco Sforza, Kaiserslautern (1998) and FC Bayern (2001)
Magnin is not the only Swiss who won the title with two different German clubs. In 1998, Ciriaco Sforza was one of the key players in the title win for newly promoted team 1. FC Kaiserslautern. It is still the most sensational German championship to date. In 2001 he won the title in Munich under coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, as well as the Champions League. However, he did not play a central role.
Stéphane Chapuisat, Borussia Dortmund (1995, 1996)
For a long time, the Swiss was considered the best foreign professional to ever play in the Bundesliga. He was an important support in the Dortmund championship team. Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld relied on the qualities of the tireless attacker. The fans adored him, even more so when he also triumphed in the Champions League with BVB in 1997.