Lia Wälti
Lia Joëlle Wälti (born 19 April 1993) is a Swiss football midfielder currently playing for Arsenal. She previously played in Switzerland for YB Frauen, where she won the Nationalliga A and debuted in the UEFA Champions League in 2011,[2] and Turbine Potsdam.
Wälti during a press conference with Switzerland in 2017 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Lia Joëlle Wälti[1] | ||
Date of birth | 19 April 1993 | ||
Place of birth | Langnau im Emmental, Switzerland | ||
Height | 167 cm (5 ft 6 in) | ||
Playing position(s) | Midfielder, Centre back | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Arsenal | ||
Number | 13 | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2008–2009 | Köniz | ||
2009–2013 | YB Frauen | ||
2013–2018 | Turbine Potsdam | 98 | (7) |
2018– | Arsenal | 22 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
2011– | Switzerland | 84 | (5) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 April 2020 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 November 2018 |
She is a member of the Swiss national team since August 2011.[3] As an Under-19 international she played the 2009 U-19 European Championship[4] and the 2010 U-20 World Cup.[5]
Club career
Early career
In 2002, at the age of 8, Wälti started playing for FC Langnau, a boys team coached by her father. In 2007 she was admitted to the Huttwill Training Centre and, half a year later, she joined Team Bern West. In 2009 she moved to BSC Young Boys, where she played for a year in the U16 boy's team.
FC Köniz (2008–2009)
At the same time she played for Team Bern West, Wälti joined FC Köniz of the Swiss Challenge League.
BSC YB Frauen (2009–2013)
In 2009, Wälti joined BSC YB Frauen, where, in 2011, she won the Nationalliga A. In the same year, she debuted in the UEFA Women's Champions League.[6]
Turbine Potsdam (2013–2018)
In 2013 Wälti signed a contract with 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam of the Frauen-Bundesliga.[7] A few years later, she became captain of the team.
International career
Youth
Wälti played in the 2008 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship. She also played for the Switzerland U19 team in 2008 and 2009. She reached the semifinals in the 2009 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship. The next year, she joined the U20 team at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
Senior
On 21 August 2011, Wälti made her debut for the Switzerland senior team in a match against Scotland.
In 2015, she played at the World Cup.
References
- "List of Players – Switzerland" (PDF). FIFA. 30 May 2015. p. 22. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- Profile in UEFA's website
- Profile in the Swiss Football Association's website
- French and Swiss advance to semis. UEFA
- Statistics in FIFA's website
- "Lia Wälti".
- "Lia Wälti wechselt zu Turbine Potsdam". Archived from the original on 30 July 2013.
- "Lia Walti joins the club".
- "Lia Walti undergoes knee surgery, likely out 9 months".
- "Lia Walti injury update".
- "Lia Walti commits her future to the club".