1. Overview
Daniel Gygax (born 28 August 1981) is a Swiss former professional footballer who primarily played as a midfielder, though he also featured as a winger or attacking midfielder. He earned 35 caps for the Swiss national team, participating in major international tournaments including UEFA Euro 2004, the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Euro 2008. His club career spanned various teams in Switzerland, notably FC Zürich and FC Luzern, alongside stints in France with Lille OSC and FC Metz, and in Germany with 1. FC Nürnberg, before his retirement at the end of the 2016-17 season.
2. Early Life
Daniel Gygax was born on 28 August 1981, in Zürich, Switzerland. He began his football journey in the youth ranks of FC Baden before embarking on his professional career.
3. Club Career
Daniel Gygax's professional club career spanned nearly two decades, beginning in Switzerland and including periods in France and Germany, marked by significant contributions to various teams.
3.1. Early Swiss Clubs
Gygax began his professional career with FC Zürich, playing for the club from 1998 to 2001, making 5 appearances without scoring a goal. In 2001, he had a loan spell at FC Winterthur, where he played 14 matches and scored 1 goal. He then moved to FC Aarau for the 2001-2002 season, appearing in 21 matches and scoring 3 goals. Following this, he returned to FC Zürich for a more prominent second spell from 2002 to 2005, where he became a key player, making 93 appearances and scoring 16 goals. During this period, he also achieved his first major honor, winning the Swiss Cup with FC Zürich in the 2000 and 2004-05 seasons.
3.2. Stints in France
After his successful period with FC Zürich, Gygax moved to France, joining Lille OSC for the 2005-2006 season. He played 24 matches for Lille, scoring 4 goals. Following his time at Lille, he signed with FC Metz for the 2007-2008 season, where he made 34 appearances and scored 5 goals. While at FC Metz, he was part of the squad that won the Ligue 2 title in 2007.
3.3. 1. FC Nürnberg
On 7 July 2008, Gygax transferred to the German club 1. FC Nürnberg. He played for the team until 30 June 2010, making 30 appearances and scoring 2 goals during his tenure.
3.4. FC Luzern
Gygax returned to Switzerland on 30 June 2010, joining FC Luzern. This period was highly successful for him and the club. Alongside fellow new signing Hakan Yakin, Gygax played a crucial role in leading FC Luzern to a surprise top position in the 2010-11 Swiss Super League during the first half of the season. He contributed significantly, scoring 7 goals during that season. He remained with FC Luzern until 2014, making 86 appearances and scoring 17 goals in total.
3.5. Later Career and Retirement
Following his time at FC Luzern, Gygax had a second spell at FC Aarau from 2014 to 2015, playing in 37 matches and scoring 1 goal. He then moved to FC Le Mont for the 2015-2016 season, where he made 19 appearances and scored 1 goal. His final professional club was FC Zug 94, where he played from 2016 to 2017, featuring in 14 matches and scoring 2 goals. Daniel Gygax officially retired from professional football at the age of 35, at the end of the 2016-17 season.
4. International Career
Daniel Gygax made his debut for the Switzerland national football team on 31 March 2004, coming on as a substitute for Hakan Yakin after 60 minutes in a 1-0 friendly loss against Greece in Heraklion. He scored his first international goal on his fourth cap, which was the only goal in a 1-0 friendly victory over Liechtenstein on 6 June 2004.
He represented Switzerland in several major international tournaments. At UEFA Euro 2004, he played in Switzerland's last two group stage matches. He also featured in the first two group stage games at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. His last of 35 international appearances came on 11 June 2008, when he appeared as a late substitute in a 2-1 group stage defeat against Turkey at UEFA Euro 2008, a tournament co-hosted by Switzerland. Over his international career from 2004 to 2008, Gygax scored 5 goals. He played 8 matches and scored 1 goal in 2004, 11 matches and 2 goals in 2005, 9 matches and 2 goals in 2006, 2 matches and 0 goals in 2007, and 5 matches and 0 goals in 2008, totaling 35 matches and 5 goals.
4.1. International Goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 6 June 2004 | Hardturm, Zürich, Switzerland | Liechtenstein | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 2. | 9 February 2005 | Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates | UAE | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 3. | 7 September 2005 | GSP Stadium, Strovolos, Cyprus | CYP | 3-1 | 3-1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4. | 1 March 2006 | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland | SCO | 2-0 | 3-1 | Friendly |
| 5. | 31 May 2006 | Stade de Genève, Lancy, Switzerland | ITA | 1-1 | 1-1 | Friendly |
5. Honours
FC Zürich
- Swiss Cup: 2000, 2004-05
FC Metz
- Ligue 2: 2006-07