From parental aversion to World Cup qualification: Viola Calligaris' path

Viola Calligaris, with the Swiss national team, is on the brink of decisive matches that will pave the way to the 2027 World Cup. As recently as Sunday she appeared on “Sportpanorama” and recalled that her parents once called every football week the worst thing. Today she is a key player.

Early obstacles and family pressure

In Viola Calligaris's case it was the opposite of the usual story: “My parents said back then that it would be the worst for them if they had to stand on football pitches every weekend,” the international said on Sunday on “Sportpanorama”. Her mother had set the motto “Every sport, just not football.” Yet from “Everything, just not football” she became a national‑team player.

At fourteen she moved to a host family to take the next step at the women’s football academy in Huttwil. The temporary home was only about an hour’s drive from her home in Sachseln, but homesickness and the Sunday evening farewells weighed heavily on her.

After four years with BSC Young Boys, 2017 saw her move abroad. The decision to join Atlético Madrid without any Spanish knowledge was a conscious choice, while a move to the German Bundesliga – then the benchmark of everything in women’s football – was categorically ruled out.

International stops and return to Madrid

“I wanted to learn something for my life, a new culture, a new language,” Calligaris explained on her first day in Madrid. The beginnings were tough; she wrote home on the day of arrival: “I certainly won’t stay here.”

Thanks to good contacts with teammates, the initial difficulties quickly faded, and she learned the language rapidly. This was followed by spells at Valencia, Levante, Paris Saint‑Germain and Juventus Turin, before she returned to Atlético Madrid in the summer.

With the national team, Calligaris now faces the decisive playoffs on the road to the 2027 World Cup. In the first round Switzerland meets Israel, and if successful a duel against Austria or Kosovo follows.

“Of course the games have to be played first, but we are the clear favourites. We were very lucky with the draw,” emphasized the 30‑year‑old defender, refraining from hyping up the opponent.

The World Cup will take place next summer in Brazil. Adaptation difficulties like those in Huttwil or Madrid will hardly be a problem for Calligaris any more.