Xavier Margairaz

Xavier Margairaz (born 7 January 1984) is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Xavier Margairaz
Margairaz playing with Switzerland (left) in 2006
Personal information
Date of birth (1984-01-07) 7 January 1984
Place of birth Rances, Switzerland
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1991–1996 Rances
1996–2000 Yverdon Sport
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2003 Lausanne-Sport 46 (3)
2003–2005 Neuchâtel Xamax 34 (5)
2005–2007 Zürich 78 (20)
2007–2009 Osasuna 13 (0)
2009 → Zürich (loan) 13 (2)
2009–2012 Zürich 80 (16)
2012–2013 Sion 35 (5)
2014 Servette 10 (0)
2015–2017 Lausanne-Sport 53 (3)
Total 362 (54)
National team
2005–2010 Switzerland 18 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Margairaz was born in Rances. After beginning professionally with FC Lausanne-Sport and Neuchâtel Xamax, he was part of the 2005–06 and 2006–07 Super League-winning teams of Fussballclub Zürich.

In May 2007, Margairaz signed a three-year contract with Spanish side CA Osasuna,[1] where he struggled with first-team opportunities. In late February 2008, in a friendly match with SD Eibar, he suffered a serious knee injury (anterior cruciate ligament, internal lateral ligament and external meniscus). After a successful surgery in Geneva, he missed UEFA Euro 2008 as his recovery process was estimated to be of at least eight months;[2] this happened a week after another serious knee-injured central midfielder of the Navarrese club, Javad Nekounam, began training.

On 14 January 2009, Margairaz moved back to FC Zürich on loan until the end of the season.[3] In June, after he helped the team to another league title and Osasuna received €400.000, the move was made permanent.

On 15 September 2009, Margairaz became Zürich's first scorer in the UEFA Champions League, netting in a 2–5 home loss against Real Madrid in the group stage.[4] In January 2012, he moved to FC Sion on a three-and-a-half year contract, leaving in June of the following year.[5]

International career

A member of the Swiss national team since 2005, Margairaz was called up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where he had two late substitute appearances.[6][7]

Personal life

Margairaz's older brother, Sascha, was also a footballer. He played mainly in the lower leagues and amateur football.[8][9]

Honours

Zürich

References
  1. Duo boost Osasuna forward line; UEFA, 19 June 2007
  2. Margairaz se lesiona de gravedad y se perderá la Eurocopa (Margairaz suffers serious injury and he will miss the Eurocup); Marca, 27 February 2008 (in Spanish)
  3. Margairaz zurück im FC Zürich (Margairaz returns to Zürich); NZZ Online, 14 January 2009 (in German)
  4. Ronaldo has Madrid up and running; UEFA, 15 September 2009
  5. Xavier Margairaz va quitter Sion (Xavier Margairaz to quit Sion); Le Matin, 2 June 2013 (in French)
  6. France 0–0 Switzerland; BBC Sport, 13 June 2006
  7. Switzerland 2–0 South Korea; BBC Sport, 23 June 2006
  8. «Je suis devenu mature sur le tard» («I matured a bit late»); La Région, 10 September 2014 (in French)
  9. Xavier Margairaz ou la bataille contre l’oubli (Xavier Margairaz or the battle against oblivion); La Région, 5 November 2014 (in French)
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