Pascal Zuberbühler

Pascal Zuberbühler (born 8 January 1971) is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Pascal Zuberbühler
Zuberbühler with Switzerland in 2008
Personal information
Full name Pascal Zuberbühler[1]
Date of birth (1971-01-08) 8 January 1971[2]
Place of birth Frauenfeld, Switzerland
Height 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)[3]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1983–1992 Frauenfeld
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1999 Grasshoppers 187 (0)
1999–2006 FC Basel 178 (0)
2000 → FC Aarau (loan) 2 (0)
2000–2001 → Bayer Leverkusen (loan) 13 (0)
2006–2007 West Bromwich Albion 15 (0)
2007–2008 Neuchâtel Xamax 51 (0)
2008–2011 Fulham 0 (0)
Total 446 (0)
National team
1994–2010 Switzerland 51 (0)
Teams managed
2011 Philippines (goalkeeper coach)
2012 Philippines (goalkeeper coach)
2015 Philippines (goalkeeper coach)
2015–2017 Derby County (goalkeeper coach)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He played in the Swiss Super League for Grasshopper, Basel and Neuchâtel Xamax. He also had a season on loan to Bayer Leverkusen of the Bundesliga, and late in his career he represented West Bromwich Albion and Fulham in England.

Zuberbühler earned 51 caps for Switzerland between 1994 and 2008, and was selected for UEFA Euro 2004, the 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008. At the middle tournament, the Swiss were the only team in the competition's history to be eliminated without conceding a goal.

Club career

Early career

Born in Frauenfeld, Thurgau, Zuberbühler played his youth football with local amateur club FC Frauenfeld and advanced to their first team, who at that time played in the 1st League, the third tier of Swiss football. During the winter break of the 1991–92 Nationalliga A season he transferred to and signed his first professional contract with Grasshopper Club Zürich. He played his league debut for his new club on 8 April 1992 in the away game against Lausanne-Sport. The game ended in a 1–1 draw. Zuberbühler played with GC for seven and a half years. During this time he made 187 league appearances for Grasshopper Club Zürich, winning the Swiss Super League three times (1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98) and the Swiss Cup once (1993–94).

Basel

Zuberbühler joined FC Basel 's first team for their 1999–2000 season under new head-coach Christian Gross. The two clubs made a goalkeeper swap with Stefan Huber. After playing in one test match and one UI Cup game Zuberbühler played his domestic league debut for his new club in the away game on 7 July 1999 as Basel played a 1–1 with Lugano. In the 50th minute Zuberbühler was substituted out of the game with a head wound.[4]

The following season, after just three league matches, Basel accepted an enquiry from Bayer Leverkusen. Zuberbühler was loaned out to them under head-coach Christoph Daum for the season. Zuberbühler played 13 league games and five Champions League games for them. But after a few months he was replaced between the posts by Adam Matysek under the new coach Berti Vogts. As he was being mobbed by his own fans, Zuberbühler decided to leave Leverkusen. His contract was desolved in March 2001.[5]

After his loan period, when he returned to Basel his replacement Miroslav König had been playing so well that head-coach Gross did not want to change the starting team. Zuberbühler was loaned out to Aarau for the rest of the season. For Aarau he made two league appearances. In their next season 2001–02 Zuberbühler was again first choice goalkeeper with Basel and played in all the competitive games (league, cup and UI Cup). Zuberbühler won the double with the club and advanced to the final of the UI Cup, but here they suffered defeat, Aston Villa won 5–2 on aggregate.[6]

Zuberbühler made a name for himself with his saves in a 1–1 tie with Liverpool in a Champions League game on 25 September 2002.[7] In their 2002–03 season Basel were runners-up in the league, but they were able to repeat the cup win. Zuberbühler held a clean sheet as Basel beat Xamax 6–0 in the final.[8]

In their 2003–04 season and 2004–05 season Zuberbühler and Basel were able to win the domestic league championship another two times. Between the years 1999 and 2006 Zuberbühler played a total of 340 games for Basel. 214 of these games were in the Swiss Super League, 20 in the Swiss Cup, 20 in the Champions League, 24 in the UEFA Cup, 11 in the UI Cup and 51 were friendly games.[9]

West Bromwich Albion

Zuberbühler signed a two-year contract for West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer from Basel on 14 July 2006.[10] His first appearance in an Albion shirt was in a friendly against Motherwell, where he earned praise from his manager Bryan Robson.[11] He then kept a clean sheet on his competitive début as Albion beat Hull City 2–0 on 5 August.[12]

Zuberbühler was dropped from the first team by new manager Tony Mowbray after starting 15 games, apparently due to the fans booing and sarcastically applauding him when he played. The Scot made him available for loan in November.[13] He returned to the first team after Russell Hoult was suspended, and responded by keeping a clean sheet in the 3–0 FA Cup win at rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers on 28 January 2007, but it proved to be his last game for the club.[14] New signing Dean Kiely immediately replaced him in the first team, and he felt this harmed his chances for Euro 2008, due to be held in his home country. In February 2007, he was told by his club that he was "surplus to requirements", and that they would not stand in his way should a club come in for him. He signed an 18-month contract at Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax, moving there on a free transfer.[15]

Fulham

In July 2008, on the invitation of former Switzerland national team boss Roy Hodgson, Zuberbühler joined Fulham on trial. He first appearance for the club was against South Korean side Busan I'Park as a second-half substitute for David Stockdale in a 1–0 defeat.[16] On 6 August, Fulham signed him on a one-year deal.[17] He made his only appearance on 23 September in the third round of the League Cup, a 1–0 loss away to Championship club Burnley.[18]

He earned a new one-year contract in June 2009.[19] In 2009–10 season he fell behind Stockdale in the pecking order, but eventually fought his way back to being Mark Schwarzer's back-up and was in the matchday squad for the Europa League Final. He had signed another one-year deal to remain at Craven Cottage, but was not picked for the team's Premier League squad for the 2010–11 season and faced an uncertain future at the club.[20] On 1 July 2011, Fulham confirmed that Zuberbühler had left the club on a free transfer, after coming to the end of his contract.[21]

International career
Zuberbühler in 2006

Zuberbühler was capped 51 times by Switzerland and was a member of their squads for the Euro 2004, 2006 FIFA World Cup, and Euro 2008, all under the management of Kobi Kuhn.

At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Switzerland topped a group ahead of France, South Korea, and Togo, then lost in the last 16 on penalties against Ukraine; he saved the Ukrainians' first penalty from Andriy Shevchenko. This Swiss team are the only team in the history of the World Cup not to concede a goal.[22]

On 11 June 2008, he played his last game with the Swiss national team, during the 2–0 victory over Portugal in Euro 2008, held in his home country.

Coaching career

Zuberbühler had a short stint as the Philippines national football team goalkeeping coach, reuniting with Fulham teammate Neil Etheridge, prior to the first round first leg 2014 World Cup qualifier against Sri Lanka in June 2011.[23] He returned for a second spell in November 2012, ahead of the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup,[24] and again in 2015.[25]

In June 2015, Zuberbühler joined Derby County as a goalkeeping coach.[26] He left in March 2017 when new manager Gary Rowett placed Kevin Poole in his position.[27] In November that year, he was hired as a goalkeeping specialist for FIFA.[28]

References
  1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Mainstream Publishing. p. 452. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
  2. "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. p. 27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  3. "Pascal Zuberbühler Profile". Premier League. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  4. Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv”. "FC Lugano - FC Basel 1:1 (0:1)". Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv”. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  5. Lars Gartenschläger (12 March 2001). "Pascal Zuberbühler, das Mobbing-Opfer aus Leverkusen". Pascal Zuberbühler, the bullying victim from Leverkusen. www.welt.de. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  6. Karel Stokkermans. "Intertoto Cup-2001". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  7. "Liverpool 1–1 Basel". uefa.com. 25 September 2002. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  8. Schweizerischer Fussballverband (SFV) (2003). "Schweizer Cup 2002-2003". Schweizerischer Fussballverband. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  9. Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv”. "Pascal Zuberbühler - FCB-Statistik". Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv”. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  10. "West Brom sign keeper Zuberbühler". BBC Sport. 14 July 2006. Retrieved 19 May 2007.
  11. "Robson praise for debutant keeper". BBC Sport. 24 July 2006. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
  12. "West Brom 2–0 Hull". BBC Sport. 5 August 2006. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
  13. "Baggies pair available for loan". BBC Sport. 20 November 2006. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
  14. "Wolves 0–3 West Brom". BBC Sport. 28 January 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
  15. "Zuberbuhler ends West Brom spell". BBC Sport. 14 February 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
  16. "Busan l'Park v Fulham". Fulham F.C. 23 July 2008. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  17. Collins, Sam (6 August 2008). "Fulham sign Swiss keeper Zuberbühler". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  18. "Burnley 1-0 Fulham". BBC Sport. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  19. "Best in the League". Fulham FC. 26 June 2009.
  20. "Squad Confirmation". Fulham F.C. 1 September 2010. Archived from the original on 4 September 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  21. "Player Departures". Fulham F.C. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  22. "Switzerland". The Sunday Times. 30 May 2010. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  23. "Azkals get Swiss goalkeeper coach". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  24. "Neil Etheridge's mentor to help Azkals goalkeepers in Suzuki Cup". InterAKTV. Archived from the original on 28 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  25. "Neil Etheridge back in lineup as Azkals book Bahrain friendly this March". InterAksyon.com. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  26. Toplis, Steven. "Derby County add Pascal Zuberbuhler as goalkeeping coach". Sports Mole. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  27. James, Stuart (14 March 2017). "Gary Rowett appointed as new Derby County manager". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  28. "Pascal Zuberbuhler joins FIFA Technical Development Division". FIFA. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Murat Yakin		 FC Basel captain
2004–2006		 Succeeded by
Ivan Ergic
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