Willi Steffen (soccer player)

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Willi Steffen

Willi Steffen (born March 17, 1925 - May 3, 2005 in Bern ) was a Swiss football player . The defender played in the Swiss national team .

The long-time defender of Young Boys Bern won a regular place at Chelsea FC in Great Britain shortly after the Second World War . Amazingly, he had moved to England to improve his English skills for his work as a commercial clerk in his parents' fruit and vegetable business. He was the only Swiss football player to date to be nominated for the world selection . Since he had to complete the officers' school in Switzerland, he moved back to Switzerland, much to the grief of the British fans. From 1957 to 1960 he won the championship four times with YB as the dormant pole of the back team and reached the championship semi-final against Reims in 1959.

For many years he formed a legendary defender duo in the Swiss national team together with Rudolf Gyger from Basel . The gigantic defender, who remained connected to his Bern team throughout his life, is regarded as the discoverer of the master coach Alexander Mandziara , who led the team to the championship in 1986. Willi Steffen died on May 3rd, 2005 at the age of 80.

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personal data
SURNAME Steffen, Willi
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss soccer player
DATE OF BIRTH March 17, 1925
DATE OF DEATH May 3, 2005
Place of death Bern , Switzerland