View source for Alain Sutter

{{short description|Swiss football former player (born 1968)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Alain Sutter
| image          = 080603 sutter.jpg
| caption        = Sutter in 2008
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1968|1|22|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Bern]], Switzerland
| height         = 1.78 m
| position       = [[Midfielder]]
| youthyears1    = 1973–1985
| youthclubs1    = [[SC Bümpliz 78]]
| years1         = 1985–1993
| clubs1         = [[Grasshopper Club Zürich|Grasshoppers]]
| caps1          = 202
| goals1         = 36
| years2         = 1987–1988
| clubs2         = → [[BSC Young Boys|Young Boys]] (loan)
| caps2          = 28
| goals2         = 5
| years3         = 1993–1994
| clubs3         = [[1. FC Nürnberg]]
| caps3          = 29
| goals3         = 5
| years4         = 1994–1995
| clubs4         = [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]]
| caps4          = 22
| goals4         = 1
| years5         = 1995–1997
| clubs5         = [[SC Freiburg]]
| caps5          = 45
| goals5         = 5
| years6         = 1997–1998
| clubs6         = [[Dallas Burn]]
| caps6          = 25
| goals6         = 2
| totalcaps      = 351
| totalgoals     = 54
| nationalyears1 = 1985–1996
| nationalteam1  = [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]]
| nationalcaps1  = 68
| nationalgoals1 = 5
}}
'''Alain Sutter''' (born 22 January 1968) is a Swiss former professional [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[midfielder]]. He is currently the [[sporting director]] of [[Grasshopper Club Zurich]].

==Playing career==
Born in [[Bern]], Sutter played youth football for [[SC Bümpliz 78]],<ref>{{cite web |title=SC Bümpliz 78 - Seite 2 von 2 |url=https://www.zwoelf.ch/sc-buempliz-als-kleiner-zwischen-grossen/2/ |website=Fussballmagazin ZWÖLF |language=de-DE |date=30 October 2015}}</ref> before beginning his professional career in 1985 with [[Grasshopper Club Zürich|Grasshoppers]],<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/alain-sutter/ | title = Alain Sutter | publisher = worldfootball.net | accessdate = 26 November 2012}}</ref> one of Switzerland's most storied clubs. After spending the 1987–88 season on loan at [[BSC Young Boys]], he was ready to take his place in the Grasshoppers first team, where he remained until the 1993–94 season, when he decided to move to Germany to play with [[1. FC Nürnberg]].<ref name="nagelsmann">{{cite news |last1=Wettstein |first1=Mischi |title=Alain Sutter war Nagelsmanns Lieblingsspieler bei Bayern München |url=https://www.nau.ch/sport/fussball-int/alain-sutter-war-nagelsmanns-lieblingsspieler-bei-bayern-munchen-65916648 |access-date=11 November 2021 |work=Nau |language=de}}</ref>

After Sutter's impressive performances during the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Alain Sutter war an der WM 1994 trotz Handicap herausragend |url=https://www.suedostschweiz.ch/sport/fussball/2020-06-18/alain-sutter-war-an-der-wm-1994-trotz-handicap-herausragend |work=Südostschweiz |date=18 June 2020 |language=de}}</ref> Germany's most successful club, [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]], quickly signed the midfielder where he played for one season,<ref name="nagelsmann" /> before moving again this time to [[SC Freiburg]].<ref name="zwolf">{{cite web |title=Ein bisschen zu weich |url=http://www.zwoelf.ch/alain-sutter/ |website=Fussballmagazin ZWÖLF |language=de-DE |date=13 September 2015}}</ref> In 1997, he transferred to [[Major League Soccer]] in the United States, where he signed for the Dallas Burn (now [[FC Dallas]]).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Landman |first1=Brian |title=Dallas' No. 66 finding his kicks |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/05/23/dallas-no-66-finding-his-kicks/ |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=1 October 2005 |language=en}}</ref> He played one season in Dallas but his tenure there was cut short when, during training in early 1998, he stepped awkwardly in a hole of the practice field (the Burn was using the facilities of a high school at that time) and the injury forced him to retire.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Loyola |first1=Kelvin |title=5 players that played in MLS that you might have missed |url=https://bolavip.com/en/soccer/5-players-that-played-in-mls-that-you-might-have-missed-20210305-0014.html |work=Bolavip US |date=6 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref> He ended his career with 68 [[cap (football)|caps]] and five goals for the [[Switzerland national football team|Swiss national team]].

==Retirement==
Sutter was a football expert and commentator for Swiss television from 1998 to 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Alain Sutter verlässt SRF-Expertenteam |url=https://medien.srf.ch/-/alain-sutter-verlasst-srf-expertenteam |website=medien.srf.ch |access-date=11 November 2021 |language=de-DE}}</ref>

He became the [[sporting director]] of [[FC St. Gallen]] on 3 January 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=FC St.Gallen 1879 {{!}} Sutter Alain |url=https://www.fcsg.ch/home/daten/kader/sutter-alain/ |website=fcsg.ch |access-date=11 November 2021 |language=de}}</ref>

On 5 May 2025, he was appointed as sporting director of [[Grasshopper Club Zurich]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gcz.ch/news/artikel/1/alain-sutter-wird-neuer-sportchef-beim-gcz/|title=Alain Sutter wird neuer Sportchef beim GCZ|trans-title=Alain Sutter will be the new sporting director at GCZ|publisher=Grasshopper Club Zürich|date=5 May 2024|access-date=5 May 2024|language=de-ch}}</ref>

==Controversies==
Sutter was the main force behind a controversy in 1995. Before an important match for the Swiss team, he unfolded a banner to protest against France testing the atom bomb.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.spiegel.de/sport/fussball/protest-gegen-chirac-wie-kann-ein-mensch-solch-eine-zerstoerung-anrichten-a-715178.html | title = Wie kann ein Mensch solch eine Zerstörung anrichten? | language = German | publisher = Spiegel Online | date = 22 September 2010 | accessdate = 26 November 2012}}</ref>

==Honours==
'''Grasshoppers'''
* [[Swiss Super League|Swiss Championship]]: [[1989–90 Nationalliga A|1989–90]], [[1990–91 Nationalliga A|1990–91]]
* [[Swiss Cup]]: 1988–89, 1989–90
* [[Swiss Super Cup]]: 1989<ref>{{cite news  |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zwitsupcuphist.html | title=Switzerland Super Cup Finals |website=[[RSSSF]] |access-date=22 February 2022}}</ref>

'''Bayern Munich'''
* [[UEFA Cup]]: [[1995–96 UEFA Cup|1995–96]]<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[UEFA]]|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/match/52188--bayern-vs-lokomotiv-moskva/|title=Bayern v Lokomotiv Moscow game report|accessdate=14 June 2021}}</ref>
'''Individual'''

* [[MLS All-Star Game|MLS All-Star]]: [[1997 MLS All-Star Game|1997]]<ref>[https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/all-star-game-flashback-1997-valderrama-named-mvp-again All-Star Game flashback, 1997] at MLSsoccer.com</ref>

===International===

'''International goals for Switzerland'''
:''Score and results list Switzerland's goal tally first.''<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/17003/Alain_Sutter.html | title = Alain Sutter (Player) | website = national-football-teams.com | access-date = 7 April 2023}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%"
|-
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| 1. || 21 September 1988 || [[Stade Josy Barthel]], [[Luxembourg (city)|Luxembourg]], Luxembourg || {{fb|LUX}} || {{center|1–0}} || {{center|4–1}} ||[[1990 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 7|1990 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 2. || 14 November 1990 || [[Stadio Olimpico (San Marino)|Stadio Olimpico]], [[Serravalle (San Marino)|Serravalle]], San Marino || {{fb|SMR}} || {{center|1–0}} || {{center|4–0}} || [[UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying Group 2|UEFA Euro 1992 qualification]]
|-
| 3. || 25 March 1992 || [[Lansdowne Road]], [[Dublin]], Ireland || {{fb|IRL}} || {{center|1–0}} || {{center|1–2}} || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
| 4. || 22 June 1994 || [[Pontiac Silverdome]], [[Detroit]], United States || {{fb|ROU}} || {{center|1–0}} || {{center|4–1}} || [[1994 FIFA World Cup Group A|1994 FIFA World Cup]]
|-
| 5. || 6 September 1994 || [[Stade de Tourbillon]], [[Sion, Switzerland|Sion]], Switzerland || {{fb|UAE}} || {{center|1–0}} || {{center|1–0}} || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|}

==Published works==
* {{cite book |last1=Sutter |first1=Alain |title=Stressfrei glücklich sein |date=2015 |publisher=Giger Verlag |location=Altendorf |isbn=978-3-905958-69-0}}
* {{cite book |last1=Sutter |first1=Alain |title=Herzensangelegenheit |date=2016 |publisher=Giger Verlag |location=Altendorf |isbn=978-3-906872-00-1}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{NFT player|17003}}
* {{FIFA player|58605}}

{{Switzerland squad 1994 FIFA World Cup}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sutter, Alain}}
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Bern]]
[[Category:Swiss men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Switzerland men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:UEFA Europa League–winning players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer All-Stars]]
[[Category:1. FC Nürnberg players]]
[[Category:FC Bayern Munich footballers]]
[[Category:SC Freiburg players]]
[[Category:FC Dallas players]]
[[Category:Grasshopper Club Zurich players]]
[[Category:BSC Young Boys players]]
[[Category:Swiss Super League players]]
[[Category:Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:Swiss expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Swiss expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany]]
[[Category:Swiss expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:20th-century Swiss sportsmen]]


{{Switzerland-footy-midfielder-stub}}