Famous Swiss Sportspersons

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Find out more about the greatest Swiss Sportspersons, including Roger Federer, Sepp Blatter, Xherdan Shaqiri, Roman Bürki and Granit Xhaka.
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 1 
Roger Federer
(One of the Most Successful Male Tennis Players of All Time)
Roger Federer
43
Birthdate: August 8, 1981
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Basel, Switzerland

Widely regarded as the greatest tennis player of all time, Roger Federer has won the most number of men's Grand Slam singles titles. He is the only person to be honored with the BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award on four occasions. Despite enduring several injuries, Federer continues to dominate the tennis court.

 2 
Martina Hingis
(Swiss Former Professional Tennis Player)
Martina Hingis
18
Birthdate: September 30, 1980
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Košice, Slovakia

Swiss tennis sensation Martina Hingis made waves when she won the Australian Open at age 16, becoming the youngest Grand Slam singles winner of the 20th century. The youngest world number 1, too, she was named after Martina Navratilova and was the daughter of a Czech tennis player and a tennis coach.

 3 
Stan Wawrinka
(Swiss Professional Tennis Player)
Stan Wawrinka
12
Birthdate: March 28, 1985
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Lausanne, Switzerland

Stan Wawrinka is a Swiss tennis player who has won three Grand Slam titles so far in his career. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Wawrinka won the gold medal for Switzerland in the doubles event along with teammate Roger Federer. At the 2014 Davis Cup, Stan Wawrinka played a key role in the Swiss team's victory.

 4 
Ivan Rakitić
(Football player)
Ivan Rakitić
7
Birthdate: March 10, 1988
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Rheinfelden, Switzerland

Popular Croatian central midfielder Ivan Rakitić now represents FC Barcelona. Though born in Switzerland, the talented footballer has never played for the country. Known for his energy on the field, he was instrumental in taking his team to the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

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 5 
Granit Xhaka
(Swiss Professional Football Player Who Plays as a Midfielder )
Granit Xhaka
10
Birthdate: September 27, 1992
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Basel, Switzerland

Swiss footballer and Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka wasn’t just part of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning Swiss team but has also been part of 2 FIFA World Cups. In 2022, he posted an apology on social media following his red-card exit in a game against Liverpool.

 6 
Xherdan Shaqiri
(Swiss Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Winger)
Xherdan Shaqiri
18
Birthdate: October 10, 1991
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Gjilan, Kosovo

Born to Albanian-origin working-class immigrant parents in Switzerland, Xherdan Shaqiri had a tough childhood. His talent in football led him to join Basel’s youth team at age 8. The Swiss footballer is now better known for his stints with clubs such as Bayern Munich and Liverpool.

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 7 
Claudio Castagnoli
(Swiss Professional Wrestler)
Claudio Castagnoli
19
Birthdate: December 27, 1980
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lucerne, Switzerland

Swiss WWE wrestler Cesaro had initially been part of the Swiss army. He then began a promising career in European rugby but was soon banned for his aggression. His next destination was the US, where he made waves in wrestling. Cesaro speaks 5 languages and loves to travel, too.

 8 
Mirka Federer
(Swiss Former Professional Tennis Player)
Mirka Federer
13
Birthdate: April 1, 1978
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bojnice, Slovakia

Mirka Federer is a Swiss former tennis player best known as the wife of legendary tennis player Roger Federer whom she met at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Having supported Federer throughout his career, Mirka is often praised for being a pillar of strength and is largely credited for Roger Federer's achievements on the tennis court. 

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 9 
Clint Capela
(Basketball player)
Clint Capela
5
Birthdate: May 18, 1994
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland

Swiss basketball player Clint Capela made history when he became his country’s highest-earning athlete of team sports. Known for his stints with the NBA teams Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets, the African-origin sports star had a tough childhood and grew up partly in foster care.

 10 
Belinda Bencic
(Tennis player)
Belinda Bencic
6
Birthdate: March 10, 1997
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Flawil, Switzerland

Known for her tactics and positions on field, Swiss tennis star Belinda Bencic first made waves when she made it to the US Open quarterfinal at age 17. Her aggressive style of play has already helped her win 5 singles titles, including an Olympic gold medal.

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 11 
Yann Sommer
(Association football player)
Yann Sommer
4
Birthdate: December 17, 1988
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Morges

Swiss footballer Yann Sommer is best known as the goalkeeper for Borussia Mönchengladbach. He has also been part of the 2 FIFA World Cups and 2 UEFA European Championships for Switzerland. Starting his career with youth teams such as Basel, he later became one of the greatest Bundesliga goalkeepers.

 12 
Stephan Lichtsteiner
(Association football player)
Stephan Lichtsteiner
6
Birthdate: January 16, 1984
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Adligenswil

Known for his 20-year stint as a footballer and his successful tenures with teams such as Arsenal and Juventus, Stephan Lichtsteiner has, post-retirement, begun training as a watchmaker with the Swiss timepiece manufacturer Maurice de Mauriac. His powerful runs on the field earned him the nickname Forrest Gump.

 13 
Fabian Cancellara
(Swiss Former Professional Racing Cyclist and Two-Time Olympic Gold Medallist)
Fabian Cancellara
5
Birthdate: March 18, 1981
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wohlen, Switzerland

Nicknamed Spartacus, Swiss retired cyclist and Olympic gold medalist Fabian Cancellara is a four-time world time trial champion. He also won both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix thrice. He had started cycling at 13, after finding an old family bike. He was also good at football and skiing.

 14 
Enes Kanter
(Basketball player)
Enes Kanter
5
Birthdate: May 20, 1992
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Zürich, Switzerland

Swiss-born American basketball player Enes Kanter is known for his stint with the NBA team Boston Celtics but has been in the news mostly for his controversial political opinions. From supporting the Uyghurs in China, to tweeting his negative views on LeBron James, he has created some serious waves in the media.

 15 
Lucien Favre
(Association football player, Association football manager)
Lucien Favre
4
Birthdate: November 2, 1957
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Saint-Barthélemy

Lucien Favre is one of the best-known football managers from Switzerland. A favorite of various French and Swiss clubs, he is known for bringing the best out of players such as Marco Reus and Marc-Andre ter Stegen. He also played a role in making Hertha and Borussia Mönchengladbach major European teams.

 16 
Simona de Silvestro
(Swiss-Italian Racing Driver)
Simona de Silvestro
3
Birthdate: September 1, 1988
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Thun, Switzerland
 17 
Gianni Infantino
(Swiss-Italian Football Administrator and the 9th President of FIFA )
Gianni Infantino
4
Birthdate: March 23, 1970
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Brig, Switzerland

Gianni Infantino is a Swiss-Italian football administrator, currently serving as the president of FIFA. He studied law at the University of Fribourg and worked as the secretary-general of the International Center for Sports Studies (CIES). He later began working with the UEFA and FIFA. He was implicated in a FIFA corruption scandal in 2016. 

 18 
Thabo Sefolosha
(Swiss Former Professional Basketball Player)
Thabo Sefolosha
4
Birthdate: May 2, 1984
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Vevey, Switzerland

Born to a South African father and a Swiss mother, Thabo Sefolosha is well-traveled and speaks several languages. The former Swiss basketball player is known for his stints with NBA teams such as Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks. Having been a victim of police brutality earlier, he supported the BLM movement wholeheartedly.

 19 
Viktor Korchnoi
(Soviet-Swiss Chess Grandmaster)
Viktor Korchnoi
3
Birthdate: March 23, 1931
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: June 6, 2016

Viktor Korchnoi was a writer and chess grandmaster. He is widely regarded as one of the best players never to have achieved the World Chess Championship title. He played chess until old age and became the oldest player to be ranked in the top 100 players list when he won the World Senior Chess Championship in 2006 at age 75.

 20 
Sepp Blatter
(Functionary, Economist)
Sepp Blatter
4
Birthdate: March 10, 1936
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Visp

Swiss sports administrator Sepp Blatter has been a well-known face in football. Once the FIFA president, he was often plagued by criticism for his controversial statements and was also publicly heckled multiple times. He has also headed the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation and has organized the Olympics, too.

 21 
Nico Hischier
(Swiss Professional Ice Hockey Player Who Plays as a Centre)
Nico Hischier
4
Birthdate: January 4, 1999
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Naters, Valais, Switzerland

Nico Hischier scripted history when he became the highest-drafted Swiss-born player ever in NHL history, after he was drafted number 1 by the New Jersey Devils. The Swiss ice-hockey center has also done wonders in the Canadian Hockey League. In 2020, he made it to the NHL All-Star Game.

 22 
Alisha Lehmann
(Association football player)
Alisha Lehmann
3
Birthdate: January 21, 1999
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Tägertschi, Switzerland

Known for her stint with the WSA club Aston Villa, Swiss footballer Alisha Lehmann was always openly lesbian and even gearing up for a wedding with her Swiss teammate Ramona Bachmann. She later stunned her fans with an Instagram post, confirming her relationship with Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz.

 23 
Andy Hug
(One of the Greatest Heavyweight Kickboxers of All Time)
Andy Hug
3
Birthdate: September 7, 1964
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Zurich, Switzerland
Died: August 24, 2000
 24 
Gökhan Inler
(Swiss Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Central Midfielder)
Gökhan Inler
3
Birthdate: June 27, 1984
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Olten, Switzerland

Turkish-origin Swiss midfielder Gökhan Inler is best known for his stint with the Turkish club Adana Demirspor. He began his career with Swiss and Turkish youth teams and later also represented Switzerland in 2 FIFA World Cups. His energy and on-field movements have made him a star in Switzerland.

 25 
Daniel Bernhardt
(Swiss Actor, Model, and Martial Artist Best Known for His Role as ‘Kirill’ in ‘John Wick')
Daniel Bernhardt
4
Birthdate: August 31, 1965
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Worblaufen, Switzerland

While he initially studied architectural design, Daniel Bernhardt also co-owned a martial arts center with his brother. He later worked as a model in Paris, before stepping into films. Known for his roles in action films such as the Bloodsport franchise, he was later seen as Agent Johnson in The Matrix Reloaded.

 26 
Kevin Mbabu
(Swiss Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Defender)
Kevin Mbabu
3
Birthdate: April 19, 1995
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chêne-Bougeries, Switzerland

Swiss defender Kevin Mbabu is best known for his stint with the Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg. After Newcastle United let him go, Mbabu went on record saying his performance would make Newcastle regret their decision. He was part of the Swiss squad that played at the 2019 UEFA Nations League finals.

 27 
Denis Zakaria
(Footballer defensive midfielder position)
Denis Zakaria
2
Birthdate: November 20, 1996
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
 28 
Daniela Ryf
(Triathlete who is known for being a consecutive Ironman World Champion)
Daniela Ryf
2
Birthdate: May 29, 1987
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Solothurn, Switzerland
 29 
Breel Embolo
(Football player - Forward)
Breel Embolo
1
Birthdate: February 14, 1997
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Yaoundé, Cameroon
 30 
Valon Behrami
(Swiss Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder )
Valon Behrami
3
Birthdate: April 19, 1985
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Mitrovica, Kosovo

Swiss footballer and Brescia midfielder Valon Behrami scripted history by becoming the first from his country to be part of 4 football World Cups. He once received death threats from Brazilian fans after his on-field conflicts with Brazil's Neymar. He is married to Swiss alpine ski racer Lara Gut.

 31 
Sébastien Buemi
(Swiss Formula One Driver)
Sébastien Buemi
3
Birthdate: October 31, 1988
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Aigle, Switzerland
 32 
Roman Bürki
(Swiss Professional Footballer)
Roman Bürki
3
Birthdate: November 14, 1990
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Münsingen, Switzerland

The Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper, Swiss footballer Roman Bürki is known for his towering 6’4” frame. He has also represented his national team and been part of 2 World Cups, though he later expressed his reluctance in joining his team in 2018, stating he wished he could devote more time to his club.

 33 
Admir Mehmedi
(Football player - Second striker / Centre forward)
Admir Mehmedi
3
Birthdate: March 16, 1991
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Gostivar, North Macedonia
 34 
Lara Gut-Behrami
(Alpine Ski racer)
Lara Gut-Behrami
5
Birthdate: April 27, 1991
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sorengo, Switzerland
 35 
Philippe Senderos
(Swiss Retired Professional Footballer Who Played as a Defender)
Philippe Senderos
3
Birthdate: February 14, 1985
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland

Former Swiss footballer Philippe Senderos is known for his stints as a defender for teams such as Arsenal, A.C. Milan, and Aston Villa. Born to Serbian and Spanish immigrant parents, he speaks 7 languages. He was once the victim of a hoax that claimed he had converted to Islam.

 36 
Manuel Akanji
(Football player)
Manuel Akanji
1
Birthdate: July 19, 1995
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Wiesendangen, Switzerland
 37 
Fabian Schär
(Association football player)
Fabian Schär
3
Birthdate: December 20, 1991
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wil
 38 
Jakob Fuglsang
(Cyclist)
Jakob Fuglsang
2
Birthdate: March 22, 1985
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Geneva, Switzerland
 39 
Simon Ammann
(Ski jumper)
Simon Ammann
2
Birthdate: June 25, 1981
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Grabs, Switzerland
 40 
Johan Djourou
(Football Centre Back player)
Johan Djourou
4
Birthdate: January 18, 1987
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Abidjan, Ivory Coast
 41 
Beat Feuz
(Ski racer)
Beat Feuz
2
Birthdate: February 11, 1987
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Schangnau, Bern, Switzerland
 42 
Taulant Xhaka
(Footballer defensive midfielder position)
Taulant Xhaka
1
Birthdate: March 28, 1991
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Basel, Switzerland
 43 
Pajtim Kasami
(Football Midfielder)
Pajtim Kasami
3
Birthdate: June 2, 1992
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Andelfingen, Switzerland
 44 
Saidy Janko
(Football Right back, Right winger)
Saidy Janko
3
Birthdate: October 22, 1995
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Zürich, Switzerland
 45 
Diogo Costa
(Football player - Goalkeeper)
Diogo Costa
1
Birthdate: September 19, 1999
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Rothrist, Switzerland
 46 
Roman Josi
(Swiss Professional Ice Hockey Defenceman and Captain)
Roman Josi
4
Birthdate: June 1, 1990
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bern, Switzerland
 47 
Ruben Vargas
(Footballer winger position)
Ruben Vargas
1
Birthdate: August 5, 1998
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Adligenswil, Switzerland
 48 
Joan Gamper
(Association football player, Businessperson)
Joan Gamper
3
Birthdate: November 22, 1877
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Winterthur
Died: July 30, 1930

Swiss-born sports executive Joan Gamper is best remembered as the founder of the legendary football club FC Barcelona. A sports enthusiast since his childhood, he excelled in many sports, such as football, golf, and tennis. He died of suicide at age 52, apparently driven by depression related to financial issues.

 49 
Joel Castro Pereira
(Swiss-Portuguese Professional Football Goalkeeper)
Joel Castro Pereira
1
Birthdate: June 28, 1996
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Boudevilliers, Switzerland

Professional football goalkeeper Joel Castro Pereira commenced his club career with Manchester United and moving on played for the club as also with several other clubs on loan. He currently plays for the Eredivisie club RKC Waalwijk. He was selected in the 2016 Portugal Olympic football team and in the 2017 Portugal under-21 team for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.  

 50 
Alexander Frei
(Association football player)
Alexander Frei
3
Birthdate: July 15, 1979
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Basel