Stephan Lichtsteiner

At 40 years old, Stephan Lichtsteiner has this physical status:

Stephan Lichtsteiner (German pronunciation: [lt.ta]; born 16 January 1984) is a Swiss former professional footballer. He was known for his spirited runs down the right wing, as well as his stamina and athleticism, earning him the nicknames "Forrest Gump" and "The Swiss Express" when attacking right-back or wing-back.

He began his career with Grasshopper, winning a league title in 2002-2003 and then moving to Lille in 2005, helping the French club win Champions League qualification for the first time in his first season with the team. He joined Lazio, Italy, in 2008 and gained both the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana the following year. In 2011, he signed for Juventus for a €10 million fee. He played 257 total games for the Turin team over the past seven years and won 14 trophies, including the Serie A title in each of his seasons with the team. He was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in the summer of 2018 before moving to Augsburg, Germany, the following summer. Following a season with the club, Lichsteiner resigned from football.

Lichtsteiner, a full international from 2006 to 2019, earned 108 caps for Switzerland, making him their third most capped player of all time. He has represented his country in two European Championships and three FIFA World Cups. He was named Swiss Footballer of the Year in 2015 and was named Swiss Footballer of the Year.

Early years

Lichtsteiner was born in Adligenswil, Canton of Lucerne, and played for the local football team. He left home as an infant to compete for Grasshopper Zürich. He started a banking apprenticeship with Credit Suisse but ultimately moved to football but ultimately wanted to work in football.

Personal life

Manuela Markworth, an economist and fitness instructor, is married to Lichtsteiner. They have a daughter and a son.

In the 4–2 victory over crosstown rivals A.S. Roma, Lichtsteiner earned the nickname "Forrest Gump" from Lazio-supporting Radio Sei commentator Guido de Angelis after running down his flank to score. Since moving to Juventus, his runs and athleticism have earned him the nickname "The Swiss Express."

Lichtsteiner joined the board of directors of HC Lugano in 2021.

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Club career

Lichtsteiner made his first team debut with Grasshopper Zürich in the 2002–02 season of the former Nationalliga A (now the Swiss Super League), but he made just one league appearance during his first campaign. He began to establish himself as a first team regular and helped the club win the league championship the following season.

Lichtsteiner completed his move to Lille OSC as one of five Swiss players to enter Ligue 1 during the 2005 season. He made Lille to a third-place finish in his first season, helping Lille to a third-place finish and a Champions League spot. Lille's last season was disappointing as the club finished seventh in the league and out of European football next season by a single point. However, he finished the season with four goals, his highest tally.

Following good results at UEFA Euro 2008, several clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain and Everton, expressed an interest in signing Lichtsteiner. He turned down PSG's bid and signed a four-year deal with Italian side S.S. Lazio for an undisclosed fee, likely to be in the region of €1.5 million as a replacement for fellow Swiss international Valon Behrami, who went to West Ham United. He scored his first goal to put Lazio 3-1 up in a tense derby match that resulted in a 4–2 victory over Lazio and resulted in numerous bookings in the April della Capitale against cross-city rivals Roma. After the Italian had fouled Lichtsteiner, he was also booked for a tense confrontation with Roma defender Cristian Panucci. Lichtsteiner formed an attacking tandem down the flanks with Serbian international full-back Aleksandar Kolarov on the other side of the field during the season. Despite finishing tenth, Lazio ended the season on a high by winning the Coppa Italia and thereby earning a spot in the UEFA Europa League next season. He was instrumental in Lazio's resurgent season, scoring in the penalty shoot-out against Sampdoria in the final, and winning the Supercoppa Italiana award at the start of next season. Kolarov's release as a number of clubs expressed an interest in him, and his future at Lazio became more uncertain. Despite Biancocelesti qualifying for the Europa League, he decided not to see out the final year of his contract at the end of the 2010–11 season.

Juventus reported on June 27, 2011, Lichtsteiner had undergone a medical in Turin and signed a three-month contract with Lazio, requiring him to pay €10 million in three installments. The transfer was announced on July 1, 2011. In the 4–1 home win, he scored the first goal in the league's first home victory, marking his debut against Parma on September 11, 2011. Juventus defeated the Scudetto and he was a crucial piece in the club's undefeated defensive record, despite losing a handful of games due to injury and suspensions. Lichtsteiner converted his left-sided counterpart Kwadwo Asamoah's pass in the 2–0 victory, repeating his opening matchday feat the previous season. He appeared in fewer games during the 2013–14 season due to injuries, but he scored three goals in all competitions and captured his third straight Serie A title. His right-wing's crossing and ball-playing skills, as well as his ability to make attacking runs, came to the forefront in Conte's 3–5–2 formation as a right-sided wing-back. He ended the season as Juventus' top assist-maker in the league, alongside Paul Pogba with eight.

Lichtsteiner started for Juventus in the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final after the team was defeated 3–1 by Barcelona at Berlin's Olympiastadion; he was instrumental in the team's temporary equalizing goal. Lichtsteiner was suspended at halftime during a league match against Frosinone on September 23, 2015. Heart surgery was later required to correct cardiac arrhythmia, which caused him to be out for a month. Lichtsteiner returned from injury on November 3rd, 2015–16 Champions League, starting against Borussia Mönchengladbach and scoring the equalizing goal in the 44th minute of a 1–1 away draw, which was later voted one of the tournament's best goals of the season.

Lightsteiner was initially barred from Juventus's squad for the UEFA Champions League group stage during the 2016-17 season, owing to the fact that the club had signed right back Dani Alves and had already filled their squad quota, and the club had already surpassed the squad's youth team by four club youth products in the 25-man squad, even though Claudio Marchisio was the only former youth player in the first team. Lichtsteiner was thus unable to make way for other players. Juan Cuadrado had re-signed on loan, meaning Lichsteiner would face opponents for the starting right fullback/wingback/winger position, sparking rumors that he would leave the club; however, he later stated that he would remain with Juventus. Despite competition for a starting position, Lichtsteiner competed in the 2016 Supercoppa Italiana as one of the starting eleven, with Juventus losing on penalties to AC Milan on penalties. Lichsteiner's contract was renewed on February 2nd, 2017 until June 30th.

Licthsteiner was not in the Juventus squad for the UEFA Champions League group stage on September 1st. Licthsteiner played his first match as team's captain in a 3–0 win over Chievo on September 9, a first match for the team's captain. Lichtsteiner played for Juventus in a 2–1 victory over Tottenham at Wembley Stadium in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League, where he came off the bench in the second half to assist with Gonzalo Higua's goal on March 7, 2018. In a 3–1 home victory over Bologna on May 5th, he made his 200th appearance in Serie A, after which he announced that he would leave the team at the end of the season. Lichtsteiner played in his 257th and final game of the season on May 19th in a 2–1 home win over Verona, the club's seventh consecutive league title; during the same match, he missed a single penalty and was given a send-off later on, despite Juventus having already made all three substitutions. Lichsteiner won his seventh scudetto of his career, becoming the non-Italian footballer to win the most Serie A championships.

Lichtsteiner signed for Arsenal on a free transfer on June 5, 2018. In an eventual 2–0 home loss to Manchester City, he made his Arsenal debut on August 12th, emerging as a replacement in the 35th minute for the injured Ainsley Maitland-Niles. In the first half of Arsenal's 2–1 home victory over Blackpool in the fourth round of the 2018-19 EFL Cup, Lichtsteiner scored his only goal for the club on October 31. Lichtsteiner would leave Arsenal after just one season at the club, according to the club on June 3rd.

Lichtsteiner's transfer to Augsburg, Germany, on August 19, 2019 – 2024. He made his debut five days later with a 1-1 draw. At 36 years and six months, FC Union Berlin became the club's oldest player at 36 years and six months.

Lichtsteiner revealed on August 12, 2020, that he will step down from football.

International career

Lichtsteiner, a former youth international, competed in the 1999 U16 and 2004 European Championships. He was first called up to the senior squad on two occasions in 2005, but he was also an unreliable substitute both times. He made his senior debut in a friendly against Brazil on November 11, 2006, which ended in a 2–1 loss.

Despite missing out on the 2006 World Cup, Lichtsteiner had a chance to prove himself as the first choice right back after Philipp Degen was out for long term injury. Köbi Kuhn selected him in the Euro 2008 squad in May. He appeared in every match at the tournament and was eventually voted first choice right back. Switzerland lost by two losses and a victory in the tournament. In 8 of the ten 2010 World Cup qualifiers, he kept his starting position under new coach Ottmar Hitzfeld and played every minute.

Lichtsteiner appeared in seven games in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying, with the Swiss struggling to qualify in Poland and Ukraine. In the final game, a 2–0 victory over Montenegro in Basel, he scored his first international goal on October 11, 2010. In 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying, he played eight complete games in a fruitful campaign, scoring two first-half goals against Iceland at the Stade de Suisse. Vladimir Petkovi, the manager of Brazil's 23-man team, where he played every minute in a bid to the last 16.

Lichtsteiner wore the Swiss armband for the first time on October 14, 2014 in his 70th match, a 4–0 away victory over San Marino in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying, due to injury to regular captain Gökhan Inler. Lichtsteiner was named permanent captain ahead of the finals in France, but Inler was disbanded due to a lack of playing time at club level. In the Round of 16, the Swiss made it out of the group stage and met Poland. With the score at 1-1, the match was decided by penalties, and Lichtsteiner came first and scored, but Granit Xhaka missed out on the Swiss.

Lichtsteiner scored in home victories over the Faroe Islands, Andorra, and Hungary as the Swiss qualified through the play-offs in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. He was chosen in Petkovi's 23-man team for the finals in Russia. In the final warm-up game against Japan, on June 8, he became the fourth Swiss to earn 100 international caps. After winning by a 2:11 group victory over Serbia for joining Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka in their controversial goal celebrations, he was fined 5,000 Swiss francs and later defended their actions.

Managerial career

Licthsteiner was appointed Basel's under-15s team coach on February 1, 2022.

Career statistics

After each Lichtsteiner's goal, Switzerland's score is ranked first, while the score column indicates the score.

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