Lia Wälti

Lia Joëlle Wälti (born 19 April 1993) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for FA Women's Super League club Arsenal Women and Switzerland Women's National Team. She is the captain of Switzerland Women's National Team and the third captain of Arsenal Women, she was also the captain of her previous club Turbine Potsdam. Before signed for Arsenal Women in July 2018, she played professionally for Nationalliga A's club YB Frauen from 2009 until 2013 and for Frauen-Bundesliga's club Turbine Potsdam from 2013 until 2018.

Lia Wälti
Wälti during a press conference with Switzerland in 2017
Personal information
Full name Lia Joëlle Wälti[1]
Date of birth (1993-04-19) 19 April 1993
Place of birth Langnau im Emmental, Switzerland
Height 167 cm (5 ft 6 in)
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 97 (7)
2018– Arsenal 32 (1)
National team‡
2011– Switzerland 84 (5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 February 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 November 2018

She is a member of the Swiss national team since August 2011.[2] As an Under-19 international she played the 2009 U-19 European Championship[3] and the 2010 U-20 World Cup.[4]

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.[5]

Lia Wälti for Turbine Potsdam

Turbine Potsdam (2013–2018)

In 2013 Wälti signed a contract with 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam of the Frauen-Bundesliga.[6] A few years later, she became captain of the team.

Arsenal (2018–)

After 110 appearances with the German team, Wälti signed a contract with Arsenal in July 2018.[7] Wälti was instrumental in Arsenal's 2018–2019 WSL league winning season although only played half of the season after she suffered a LCL injury which kept her out of football for 9 months In April 2019. [8]She included in 2018-2019 PFA Team of the Year. [9] On 13 December 2019, Wälti signed a long-term contract with the club. [10]

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.

Career statistics

Club
As of 7 February 2021
Club Season League Cups International Cups Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Turbine Potsdam 2013–14 Frauen-Bundesliga 19 0 1 0 6 2 26 2
2014–15 20 2 5 0 — 25 2
2015–16 22 3 3 0 — 25 3
2016–17 15 2 — — 15 2
2017–18 21 0 3 0 — 21 0
Club total977120621109
Arsenal 2018–19 FA Women's Super League 12 0 5 0 — 17 0
2019–20 10 0 6 1 4 0 20 1
2020–21 10 0 3 0 — 13 0
Club total32014140501
Career total 132 7 26 1 10 2 160 10


Honours

BSC YB Frauen

Turbine Potsdam

Arsenal

Individual

References
  1. "List of Players – Switzerland" (PDF). FIFA. 30 May 2015. p. 22. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  2. Profile in the Swiss Football Association's website
  3. French and Swiss advance to semis. UEFA
  4. Statistics in FIFA's website
  5. "Lia Wälti".
  6. "Lia Wälti wechselt zu Turbine Potsdam". Archived from the original on 30 July 2013.
  7. "Lia Walti joins the club".
  8. "Lia Walti undergoes knee surgery, likely out 9 months".
  9. "Lia Walti injury update".
  10. "Lia Walti commits her future to the club".
  11. "Women's Honours". www.arsenal.com.
  12. "PFA WSL TEAM OF THE YEAR". www.thepfa.com.
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