Benjamin Huggel

Early years and Basel

Huggel began his youth football with local club FC Münchenstein and came through the ranks between 1987 and 1996. He was loaned out to FC Arlesheim for two years (the price of which was a match ball), before completing his move to FC Basel in 1998. In his first year in Basel, under Manager Guy Mathez, he was solely a reserve player. Huggel made his debut for Basel on 6 December 1998, as he was transferred in during the 65th minute, in the 2–1 away win in the Wankdorf Stadium against Young Boys. In the 1998–99 season he made just three short appearances as substitute in the first team. But during the following year in the 1999–2000 Nationalliga A, under new Manager Christian Gross, he advanced into the starting team and played 34 of the 36 league games, scoring four goals. He scored his first goal for the team on 15 August 1999 as Basel won 2–0 against Luzern at home in the Schützenmatte Stadion. Huggel enjoyed his best campaign in 2000–01 when he scored eight goals in 29 league games from the centre of midfield. Huggel was part of the side that won the Double in the year 2002. But he missed the Cup Final due to an injury. He first rose to international prominence with his displays for FC Basel during their Champions League run in the 2002–03 season. A series of injuries had previously badly hampered his progress and the midfielder struggled in the face of stiff competition to win his way back into the side. However, he did play as Basel knocked…

Huggel had a tough introduction to international football on 20 August 2003 as the Swiss lost 2–0 against France. He also appeared in Switzerland's final two matches during the Euro 2004 qualification campaign – a 4–1 defeat against Russia and 2–0 victory over the Republic of Ireland. He appeared in all three of Switzerland's Euro 2004 matches. However, he was unable to prevent the Swiss having a disappointing tournament – they were eliminated at the group stage following defeats to France and England and a draw with Croatia. However, Huggel did not start in any Switzerland's qualifying games for the 2006 World Cup. He also missed the tournament after receiving a six-game ban for kicking a Turkish coach Mehmet Özdilek, after his nation's play-off victory over Turkey. The FIFA Appeal Committee later reduced the ban to four matches. Huggel was included in the squad to play at Euro 2008, but did not play a game. Huggel's second national goal was also the 1000th goal in the history of the Swiss national team. He scored it, a header from a set piece, on 10 October 2009 against Luxembourg during the 3–0 away win in the 2010 World Cup qualifier. Huggel was in the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he was in the starting eleven in all three games. But after they were eliminated during the Group Stage, he announced his international retirement. Huggel played 41 games for the national team, in which he scored two goals and was yellow carded only four times.

At the end of the 2011–2012 season Huggel retired from active professional football and started working as assistant manager for the Basel U-21 team on 1 July 2012. He was also eligible to play for the U-21 team and he made his debut for the team on 8 September 2012 in the 3–1 away win against Young Fellows Juventus. He also worked as a youth coach at the club, before becoming youth coach at FC Luzern in 2014. In May 2015, he was appointed head coach of FC Black Stars Basel, before being dismissed against in February 2016.

Born in Dornach, Huggel grew up and went to School in suburban Münchenstein, ten minutes from Basel and close to the borders of France and Germany. He has a younger brother. Their parents are both teachers and his mother is a well known local politician. Huggel completed his apprenticeship as Landscape Gardener before he became professional footballer.