Murat Yakin

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Murat Yakin (Template:Langx Template:IPA; born 15 September 1974) is a Swiss football coach and former player. He is the manager of the Switzerland national team.

In 2021, following stints as manager at Swiss clubs including Basel, Grasshoppers and Sion, he was appointed as coach of the Swiss national team, guiding them to qualification for 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024.

Playing career

Yakin spent the longest spell of his career playing for his hometown club Basel, where he was the defensive linchpin, captain and libero of a team which enjoyed domestic and relative European success. He won the Swiss Super League on five occasions (1995, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2005), and the Swiss Cup three times (1994, 2002, 2003). He recalls the 2002–Champions League second leg qualifying match on 28 August 2002 against Celtic in St. Jakob-Park as the "match of his life". Basel won the game 2–0, with Yakin scoring the second goal in the 22nd minute as Basel qualified 3–3 on the away goals rule for the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League group stage.<ref name="Das Spiel meines Lebens">Template:Cite book</ref>

In 2003, he played in the FIFA "Match against Poverty" in Basel, on Ronaldo's team which won 4–3 against Zinedine Zidane's.<ref>[1] Template:Webarchive</ref>

Yakin was capped 49 times for the Switzerland national team, representing his country at UEFA Euro 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Coaching career

Early career

Yakin was appointed coach of Thun in 2009, after a time as a youth coach at Grasshoppers and head coach of Frauenfeld.<ref>Template:WorldFootball.net</ref> Yakin led Thun to promotion in his first year as manager there, winning the Swiss Challenge League in 2010.<ref name="Thun">Template:Cite web</ref> In his second season with the club, Thun managed to finish fifth in the Swiss Super League and earned a spot in the second qualifying round of the following season's UEFA Europa League.<ref name="Thun" />

In May 2011, he joined Luzern for a reported 200,000 Swiss francs.Template:Citation needed He took over from Christian Brand, who was made caretaker after the sacking of Rolf Fringer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Basel

On 15 October 2012, Yakin was appointed as the new manager of Basel.<ref name="Vogel fliegt – Yakin übernimmt">Template:Cite news</ref> Under his management, Basel won twice, home and away, against Chelsea in the 2013–14 Champions League group stage. He praised the supporters in the stadium, saying that they pushed the team to win through the 90 minutes. He was also delighted to have received praise from then Chelsea manager José Mourinho.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 17 May 2014, Basel announced Yakin was no longer with the club after he guided them to two domestic titles in as many years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Spartak" />

Spartak Moscow

On 16 June 2014, Yakin was appointed as manager of Russian Premier League side Spartak Moscow.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> According to Russian media, the deal was a long-term contract with Yakin earning an annual salary of 1.6 million euros ($2.18 million).<ref name="Spartak" />

On 30 May 2015, after only one season with the club, his contract with the club was terminated after a mutual agreement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Return to Schaffhausen

On 17 June 2019, it was confirmed, that Yakin had returned to Schaffhausen, as their new manager having left Sion previously that year.<ref>Murat Yakin ist wieder Trainer beim FC Schaffhausen, nzz.ch, 17 June 2019</ref>

Switzerland national team

On 9 August 2021, Yakin was appointed as the manager of the Switzerland national team.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2022 World Cup qualification, Northern Ireland held reigning European champions Italy to a goalless draw, thereby ensuring that Switzerland qualified for the tournament and Italy had to play in the playoffs. In gratitude, he sent 9.3 kg of Swiss chocolate to the Irish Football Association.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he led Switzerland to finish second in their group, to qualify to the round of 16, where they lost 6–1 to Portugal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament, Yakin guided Switzerland through to the Round of 16 knockout stage where they recorded a famous 2–0 victory against defending champions Italy. They were subsequently knocked out of the quarter-finals in a penalty shootout loss to England, after a 1–1 draw.

Personal life

Yakin is the elder brother of Hakan Yakin, who was also a professional footballer with successful stints at Grasshoppers, Basel, and Young Boys and represented Switzerland at international level also.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Yakin is of Turkish descent.

Career statistics

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	6 October 1996	Helsinki, Finland	Template:Fb	3–1	3–2	1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.	11 October 1997	Zurich, Switzerland	Template:Fb	3–0	5–0	1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.	21 August 2001	Basel, Switzerland	Template:Fb	3–1	3–2	Friendly
4.	12 October 2002	Tirana, Albania	Template:Fb	1–0	1–1	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification

Managerial statistics

Template:Updated<ref>Template:Soccerway coach</ref>

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	From	To	Record
			Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
Thun	1 July 2009	1 July 2011
Luzern	1 July 2011	19 August 2012
Basel	15 October 2012	19 May 2014
Spartak Moscow	16 June 2014	30 May 2015
Schaffhausen	21 December 2016	28 August 2017
Grasshoppers	28 August 2017	10 April 2018
Sion	17 September 2018	7 May 2019
Schaffhausen	17 June 2019	9 August 2021
Switzerland	9 August 2021	Present
Total

Honours

As a player

Grasshoppers

• Nationalliga A: 1994–95, 1995–96
• Swiss Cup: 1993–94

BaselTemplate:Citation needed

• Nationalliga A/Swiss Super League: 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05
• Swiss Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03

IndividualTemplate:Citation needed

• Swiss Young Player of the Year: 1994
• Axpo Swiss Super Leaguer Player of the Year: 2002

As a manager

ThunTemplate:Citation needed

• Swiss Challenge League: 2009–10

Basel<ref name="Spartak">Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Citation needed

• Swiss Super League: 2012–13, 2013–14

Individual

• Swiss Super League Manager of the Year: 2013–14,<ref name="srf.ch">Template:Cite web</ref> 2017–18<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Template:TFF player
• Template:SFL Template:Dead link
• Murat Yakin on the website of FC Basel
• Article detailing Murat's connection with two of his passions: kebabs and Turkish rap Template:In lang