International Career
Huggel had a tough introduction to international football on 20 August 2003 as the Swiss lost 2–0 against France. He also appeared in Switzerland's final two matches during the Euro 2004 qualification campaign – a 4–1 defeat against Russia and 2–0 victory over the Republic of Ireland.
He appeared in all three of Switzerland's Euro 2004 matches. However he was unable to prevent the Swiss having a disappointing tournament – they were eliminated at the group stage following defeats to France and England and a draw with Croatia.
However, Huggel did not start in any Switzerland's qualifying games for the 2006 World Cup. He also missed the tournament after receiving a six-game ban for kicking a Turkish trainer after his nation's play-off victory over Turkey. Huggel was included in the squad to play at Euro 2008, but did not play a game.
Huggels second national goal was also the 1000th goal in the history of the Swiss national team. He scored it, a header from a set piece, on 10 October 2009 against Luxembourg during the 3–0 away win in the 2010 World Cup qualifier. Huggel was in the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he was in the starting eleven in all three games. But after they were eliminated during the Group Stage, he announced his international retirement. Huggel played 41 games for the national team, in which he scored two goals and was yellow carded only four times.
Read more about this topic: Benjamin Huggel
Famous quotes containing the word career:
“Each of the professions means a prejudice. The necessity for a career forces every one to take sides. We live in the age of the overworked, and the under-educated; the age in which people are so industrious that they become absolutely stupid.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)