Alain Sutter
Alain Sutter is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He is currently the sporting director of Grasshopper Club Zurich.
Playing career
Born in Bern, Sutter played youth football for SC Bümpliz 78, before beginning his professional career in 1985 with Grasshoppers, one of Switzerland's most storied clubs. After spending the 1987–88 season on loan at BSC Young Boys, he was ready to take his place in the Grasshoppers first team, where he remained until the 1993–94 season, when he decided to move to Germany to play with 1. FC Nürnberg.After Sutter's impressive performances during the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Germany's most successful club, Bayern Munich, quickly signed the midfielder where he played for one season, before moving again this time to SC Freiburg. In 1997, he transferred to Major League Soccer in the United States, where he signed for the Dallas Burn. He played one season in Dallas but his tenure there was cut short when, during training in early 1998, he stepped awkwardly in a hole of the practice field and the injury forced him to retire. He ended his career with 68 caps and five goals for the Swiss national team.
Retirement
Sutter was a football expert and commentator for Swiss television from 1998 to 2017.He became the sporting director of FC St. Gallen on 3 January 2018.
On 5 May 2025, he was appointed as sporting director of Grasshopper Club Zurich.
Controversies
Sutter was the main force behind a controversy in 1995. Before an important match for the Swiss team, he unfolded a banner to protest against France testing the atom bomb.Honours
Grasshoppers- Swiss Championship: 1989–90, 1990–91
- Swiss Cup: 1988–89, 1989–90
- Swiss Super Cup: 1989
Individual
International
International goals for Switzerland| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 21 September 1988 | Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 2. | 14 November 1990 | Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino | 1–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Euro 1992 qualification | |
| 3. | 25 March 1992 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland | 1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly | |
| 4. | 22 June 1994 | Pontiac Silverdome, Detroit, United States | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1994 FIFA World Cup | |
| 5. | 6 September 1994 | Stade de Tourbillon, Sion, Switzerland | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |