Swiss · Gjilan, Kosovo · Born 10 October 1991Xherdan Shaqiri is a Swiss footballer, nicknamed the 'Alpine Messi', who won the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich and Liverpool and became one of the most decorated players in Swiss football history.
Few Swiss players have matched Xherdan Shaqiri's combination of major honours and longevity at the top: two Champions League titles, three World Cup appearances, three European Championships, and 125 caps spanning from 2010 to 2024. He rose through FC Basel's youth system, signing his first professional contract at 17 and helping the club win three Swiss Super League titles. Shaqiri's performances for Basel, including a run to the Champions League last 16, earned him a move to Bayern Munich in 2012, where despite limited playing time he was part of the club's historic 2012-13 treble-winning squad, winning the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League. He moved to Inter Milan in 2015, then to Stoke City for a club-record fee, before joining Liverpool in 2018, where he won a second Champions League title in his first season at the club in 2019. Shaqiri went on to play for Lyon and spent two seasons in Major League Soccer with the Chicago Fire before returning to FC Basel in 2024. Nicknamed the 'Alpine Messi' for his diminutive stature and technical ability, he earned 125 caps for Switzerland between 2010 and 2024, representing the country at three World Cups and three European Championships, scoring a trademark long-range goal against Scotland at Euro 2024 before announcing his international retirement that year.
Winning the UEFA Champions League with both Bayern Munich and Liverpool
How They Played
Technically gifted, unpredictable winger known for close control, both-footed ability, and a powerful shot despite his small stature
Lasting Impact
One of the most decorated and technically gifted Swiss players of his generation, with a career spanning some of Europe's biggest clubs
Career Honours
- UEFA Champions League winner (2013, Bayern Munich; 2019, Liverpool)
- Bundesliga champion (2013, Bayern Munich)
- 3x Swiss Super League champion (FC Basel)
- UEFA Euro 2016 quarterfinalist
- Switzerland's third-most capped player (125 caps)
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| FC Basel | 2009–2012 | — |
| Bayern Munich | 2012–2015 | — |
| Inter Milan | 2015–2015 | — |
| Stoke City | 2015–2018 | — |
| Liverpool | 2018–2021 | — |
| Lyon | 2021–2022 | — |
| Chicago Fire | 2022–2024 | — |
| FC Basel | 2024–present | — |
Swiss Athletes