Tranquillo Barnetta

Tranquillo Barnetta (Italian pronunciation: [traŋˈkwillo barˈnetta]; born 22 May 1985) is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Tranquillo Barnetta
Barnetta with Switzerland in 2006
Personal information
Full name Tranquillo Barnetta[1]
Date of birth (1985-05-22) 22 May 1985
Place of birth St. Gallen, Switzerland
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1991–1996 FC Rotmonten St. Gallen
1996–2002 St. Gallen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2004 St. Gallen 60 (15)
2004–2012 Bayer Leverkusen 187 (23)
2004–2005 → Hannover 96 (loan) 7 (2)
2012–2015 Schalke 04 44 (3)
2013–2014 → Eintracht Frankfurt (loan) 22 (1)
2015–2016 Philadelphia Union 41 (6)
2017–2019 St. Gallen 60 (11)
Total 421 (61)
National team
2004–2014 Switzerland 75 (10)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He usually played out wide as a left winger but could also play in the centre as an attacking midfielder, or even in a more withdrawn role as a central midfielder. Barnetta was known for his "extreme pace, mobility and creativity".[2] Prior to moving to the MLS, Barnetta played football for several Swiss and German clubs. At international level, he has amassed 75 caps for the Swiss national team, representing his nation in three FIFA World Cups, and two UEFA European Football Championships.

Playing career

St. Gallen

Barnetta started his career with his hometown team, St. Gallen for the 2002–2003 season. During his first professional season, he earned 30 appearances and scored 5 goals.

Bayer Leverkusen

Barnetta's debut season in Switzerland was noticed abroad and was soon snapped up by German side Bayer Leverkusen in January 2004.[3] During his first season at Bayer, he had a loan spell at Hannover 96, returning to Bayer in March 2005.[4]

After a good showing at the World Cup in Germany, Barnetta became a regular in the Bayer squad. The 2008–09 season was one to forget for him, after Bayer finished two places lower than the previous season and his goals tally dropped slightly. During the summer transfer window, he was linked with a move away from Bayer as his place in the squad seemed under threat from loanee Toni Kroos.[5] Barnetta regained his good form in the 2009–10 season, scoring a brace in only his second league game of the season and contributing to Bayer's unbeaten run for the entire first half of the season.

Schalke 04/Eintracht Frankfurt

On 2 July 2012, after his contract ran out at Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke 04 confirmed that Barnetta signed a three-year professional contract with them until 30 June 2015,[6] and in preparation for the Gelsenkirchen club's participation in the Champions League.[6] The transfer was reported as a free transfer by Schalke's sport and communications manager Horst Heldt.[6] Barnetta was assigned a number 27 shirt, previously worn by Ciprian Deac.[6] In the 2013–14 season, Barnetta had a season long loan spell at Eintracht Frankfurt, returning to Schalke 04 in June 2014 whom he signed for at the end of the 2011–12 season.[7]

On 23 September 2014, Barnetta scored his first goal for Schalke in his second league match of the 2014–15 season.[8]

Philadelphia Union

On 29 July 2015, Barnetta signed with the Philadelphia Union.[9] Integrating with the Union, who were midway through their season, Barnetta netted his first goal on 20 September, in a home win against the Houston Dynamo.[10]

After a full preseason with the Union, Barnetta led the team as the attacking playmaker during the 2016 season. Registering 5 goals and 4 assists, he helped lead Philadelphia's return to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011. Prior to the conclusion of the 2016 campaign, the Union announced Barnetta would return to Switzerland to rejoin FC St. Gallen. Barnetta cited he wanted to contribute to his hometown club in front of friends and family while he still had the fitness to do so meaningfully.[11] He finished his Philadelphia career with 45 appearances and 6 goals.

Return to St. Gallen

Barnetta signed a contract with St. Gallen on 14 November 2016, starting from 1 January 2017.[12]

At the end of the 2018–19 season, Barnetta decided to retire.[13]

International
Barnetta challenging Rafael Sóbis in a friendly against Brazil in 2006

Barnetta is a former youth international and was in the Swiss U-17 squad that won the 2002 U-17 European Championships along with future senior teammates Philippe Senderos and Reto Ziegler.[14] He has been a member of the senior national team and was first called up to the squad for the Euro 2004 but did not make an appearance. Barnetta was called up to the squad after Johann Lonfat was injured and Davide Chiumiento had turned down a call up as the first choice replacement.[15] At the 2006 World Cup, he scored the second goal in Switzerland's group stage win over Togo,[16] but missed a penalty kick in the shootout against Ukraine, which Switzerland lost 3–0. On 4 July, Barnetta was shortlisted for the tournament's Best Young Player award. He was ever present in 2010 World Cup qualifying as the Swiss secured a place by finishing top of their group.[17] On 4 June 2011, Barnetta scored two free kicks in quick succession against England in the Euro 2012 qualifiers.[18] Barnetta was called up to represent Switzerland at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, but he didn't play any matches.[19][20]

Playing style

Known for his "extreme pace, mobility and creativity" on the left flank,[2] FIFA's official website describes Barnetta as a "primarily a creative footballer", who also "covers ground and closes down opponents on the football pitch with the sort tireless energy and dogged determination one might expect from a tigerish central midfielder".[21] Barnetta is regarded for bringing "drive, skill and maturity" to the Swiss national team.[21]

Personal life

Barnetta was born in St. Gallen. Both his parents are of Italian descent and he holds both Swiss and Italian citizenship.[22]

Career statistics

Club
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total Ref.
DivisionApp.GoalsApp.GoalsApp.GoalsApp.GoalsApp.Goals
St. Gallen Swiss Super League 2002–03 30103010 [23][24]
2003–04 305305
Total 60150000006015
Hannover 96 (loan) Bundesliga 2004–05 7220000092
Bayer Leverkusen Bundesliga 2005–06 316102010356
2006–07 301219000412
2007–08 3261011100447
2008–09 314610000375
2009–10 324200000344
2010–11 242106000312
2011–12 7000000070
Total 187231322811022926
Schalke 04 Bundesliga 2012–13 210307000310
2013–14 1010000020
2014–15 223104000273
Total 4435011000603
Eintracht Frankfurt (loan) Bundesliga 2013–14 221207000311
Philadelphia Union MLS 2015 11120––13 1
2016 30520––325
Total 416400000456
St. Gallen Swiss Super League 2016–17 161000000161
2017–18 191210000212
2018–19 259300000289
Total 60115100006512
Career total 421613134611049965

International
Source:[25]
National teamYearApp.Goals
Switzerland national team 200420
200580
2006103
2007103
2008100
200990
201090
201112
201272
201360
201430
Total7510

International goals
List of international goals scored by Tranquillo Barnetta
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionReport
1.1 March 2006Hampden Park, Glasgow Scotland1–03–1Friendly[26]
2.27 May 2006St. Jakob-Park, Basel Ivory Coast1–01–1Friendly[27]
3.19 June 2006Westfalenstadion, Dortmund Togo2–02–02006 World Cup[28]
4.22 August 2007Stade de Genève, Geneva Netherlands1–0 (penalty)2–1Friendly[29]
5.2–0
6.7 September 2007Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna Chile1–02–1Friendly[30]
7.4 June 2011Wembley Stadium, London England1–02–2UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying[31]
8.2–0
9.15 August 2012Stadion Poljud, Split Croatia2–14–2Friendly
10.16 October 2012Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík Iceland1–02–02014 FIFA World Cup qualification

References
  1. "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 June 2014. p. 30. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  2. Palmer, Kevin. "Champions League 2012–13, Group B". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  3. "Leverkusen holt St. Gallens Jungstar Barnetta". Netzeitung (in German). 9 January 2004. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  4. "Barnetta zurück zu Bayer". Blick (in German). 9 March 2005. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  5. Ostendorp, Heiko; Böni, Andreas (15 May 2009). "Tranquillo kann in jeder Liga der Welt spielen". Blick (in German).
  6. "Schalke clinch Barnetta signing". ESPN Soccernet. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  7. "Schalke loan Tranquillo Barnetta to Eintracht Frankfurt". SB Nation. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  8. "Werder Bremen vs Schalke 0-3 Highlights 2014 Bundesliga". goalsaim.com. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  9. "Philadelphia Union sign Bundesliga veteran and Swiss international Tranquillo Barnetta". MLSSoccer.com. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  10. "Philadelphia 2, Houston Dynamo 0". MLSsoccer.com. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  11. Greg Lalas (27 September 2016). "Tranquillo Barnetta to leave Philadelphia Union after 2016 season". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  12. "Barnetta ist zurück beim FC St. Gallen". fussball.ch (in German). 14 November 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  13. Ackermann, Marco (23 April 2019). "Barnetta sagt am Saisonende Ciao". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  14. Tschoumy, Renaud (10 November 2009). "Les "Rouge" admirent les "Rougets"". Le Matin (in French). Archived from the original on 7 July 2012.
  15. Keller, Marco (6 June 2004). "Barnetta steps up for Swiss". uefa.com. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  16. "Ice-cool Barnetta soothes Swiss nerves". fifa.com. 16 June 2006.
  17. "Swiss duo riding high". fifa.com. 21 October 2009.
  18. White, Duncan (4 June 2011). "England 2 Switzerland 2: match report". Telegraph. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  19. "Profile: Tranquillo BARNETTA". Fifa.com. 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  20. "World Cup 2014 squads: Switzerland name final 23". SB Nation. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  21. "Tranquillo Barnetta: My +10 team". FIFA. 22 June 2006. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  22. "Tranquillo Barnetta" (in Italian). swissinfo.ch. 6 March 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  23. Tranquillo Barnetta at Soccerway
  24. "Tranquillo Barnetta". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  25. "Tranquillo Barnetta". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  26. "Football – Match Friendlies : Scotland vs. Switzerland". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  27. "Football – Match Friendlies : Switzerland vs. Ivory Coast". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  28. "Togo-Switzerland". FIFA.com. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  29. "Football – Match Friendlies : Switzerland vs. Netherlands". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  30. "Football – Match Friendlies : Switzerland vs. Chile". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  31. "UEFA EURO 2012 – England-Switzerland". UEFA.com. 4 June 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
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