Raphaël Wicky

Born in Leuggern in the canton of Aargau, Wicky started his career with Sion, and went on to represent Werder Bremen. In 25 January 2001, he joined Atlético Madrid, then in the Segunda División. After only eleven games in Spain, he returned to the Bundesliga on 6 December 2001, signing for Hamburger SV until the end of the season with the option to extend until June 2005. He returned to Sion on a three-year contract on 23 August 2007, after losing first-choice status with Hamburg under manager Huub Stevens following a period of injury. Wicky signed on a free transfer with Los Angeles–based Major League Soccer side Chivas USA in February 2008. Wicky made his debut as a substitute in Chivas' season opener against Dallas on 30 March. His season was cut short due to ankle injury, making just five appearances in his first MLS season. He underwent surgery to repair the injury in July 2008 and was placed on the team's season-ending injury list on 15 September. On 26 January 2009, Chivas USA announced that they had re-signed Wicky to a one-year deal. Five weeks later, on 3 March, he announced his retirement from professional football, citing "personal reasons."

Internationally, Wicky was part of the Swiss national teams at Euro 96 and Euro 2004 as well as at the 2006 World Cup. In 75 appearances, he scored one goal, to open a 3–1 win away to the Faroe Islands in qualification for the last of those tournaments on 4 June 2005.

International goals

Scores and results list Switzerland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wicky goal.

Upon retiring as a player, Wicky coached the youth teams of Thun in 2009 and a year later Servette. In 2013, he moved into the youth ranks of Basel. He became first-team manager on 21 April 2017, replacing Urs Fischer after a boardroom change. Days later, the team wrapped up an eighth consecutive league title, and on 25 May won the Swiss Cup with a 3–0 victory over Sion at the Stade de Genève. On 26 July 2018, having finished as runner-up in the domestic league and having been eliminated in the semifinal of the cup as well as having started the new season poorly, with elimination by PAOK in the 2nd qualifying round of the Champions League, he was dismissed. On 8 March 2019, Wicky was named the head coach of the United States Under-17 Men's National Team. On 27 December 2019, he was named the head coach of Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire. He missed the MLS Cup playoffs by one point in 2020, and was dismissed on 30 September 2021. On 2 June 2022, his return to the Swiss Super League as the new head coach of Young Boys was announced. His contract was terminated by Young Boys on 4 March 2024. This came following a string of poor results, including elimination from the UEFA Europa League to Sporting CP and from the Swiss Cup to Swiss Challenge League side Sion, as well as seeing their lead at the top of the Swiss Super League decline to just one point ahead of Servette. On 5 January 2026, Wicky was named as the new head coach of Sporting Kansas City, having signed a…

Player

Sion

Swiss Championship: 1996–97 Swiss Cup: 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97 Werder Bremen

DFB-Pokal: 1998–99; runner-up 1999–2000 DFL-Ligapokal runner-up: 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1998 Hamburger SV

DFL-Ligapokal: 2003 UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2005

Manager

Young Boys

Swiss Super League: 2022–23 Swiss Cup: 2022–23