Switzerland is passionate about football

Whenever an athlete or a squad brandishes a trophy or receives a medal, It's a safe bet that there's a whole team of people behind the scenes supporting them. These people do a good job out of the public eye – motivating, timekeeping, account keeping, maintaining order, and coordinating tickets. They carry out their tasks with the same pride and professionalism as the athletes in the spotlight who receive all the attention.

And then there are the fans – entire nations, clubs, parents, and kids on the sidelines, shouting, cheering, hoping for the best, crossing their fingers, and ramping up the excitement in the stadium. Everyone at the event is there with their heart and soul, making the sport a special and emotional experience because: A team is always everyone.

His job starts weeks before the tournament begins. As the national team's top chef, he's responsible for putting together the menus, contacting the local food and beverage suppliers, and consulting the top chef at the team's hotel. One of his most important and fundamental tasks is to make sure that the food is of the required standard and to test as many ingredients as possible in advance. This ensures that each menu fulfills its respective purpose and helps the athletes to refuel and recover. A typical shopping list for ten days away comprises 70 kg of pasta, 20 kg of gnocchi, 20 kg of vegetables and 10 kg of sliced fruit per day.

The players affectionately call him "Nonno," "Boss," or "Grande," because they wouldn't be able to perform at the highest level without his commitment, his flair for flavors, and his enthusiasm! A team is always everyone.

His organizational skills are key to his job. As the equipment manager, he assembles the required equipment and must be prepared for everything, so he has a plan A, a plan B, and even a plan C. An away match involves around 2.5–3 tonnes of material. Before a match, he prepares the changing rooms. This means carefully laying out each player's outfit in their individual changing area, taking into account their specific wishes. He starts with the goalkeeper and then follows the line-up. Once the players are equipped and ready for the match, he puts the captain's armband on him and hands him the pennant as they walk out onto the pitch – that's the tradition. His work fills him with pride, and he will never forget occasions such as the team's victory over France in the European Championship round of 16 and the ensuing exhilaration. A team is always everyone.

He needs to be really punctual and to be able to deal with stress, because as a bus driver you never know what to expect in local traffic. His time window for arriving at the stadium is just +/– 2.5 minutes, and his passengers must be able to rest and relax during the bus journey. For this reason, he drives along the routes in advance by car, using a stopwatch to measure how long they take. In addition, he prepares an alternative route and discusses all eventualities with the local police, in line with the motto "Preparation is everything." The most important thing in a football team bus these days is electric sockets. It's also crucial that there are enough drinks on board for the players. Above all, the timekeeper has to radiate a sense of calm, even in hectic situations, and not get stressed. A team is always everyone.

He's surrounded by thousands of fans, yet you can tell that he's there. Because he sounds his trumpet expertly to fire up the spectators and cheer the Swiss team on. He likes to stand in the stadium sectors where things are a little quieter. He can play the trumpet "more safely" there, without being jostled by crowds. His music needs to be cleverly timed and carefully targeted, because the crowds only cheer at full throttle when Switzerland's attacking. Sometimes, the trumpeter has to take a break too, though, to avoid headaches.

In the past, the trumpet could sometimes be heard during the warm-up, at the special request of the then national coach. Because the motto applies also to warm-ups: A team is always everyone.