Biography
Who is Murat Yakin?
Early life and playing career
Murat Yakin started his professional path in Switzerland. He spent a significant portion of his career as a defensive player for his hometown club, FC Basel. During his time there, he served as a captain and libero, helping the team secure multiple domestic trophies. He won the Swiss Super League titles in 1995, 1996, 2002, 2004, and 2005. Also, he collected three Swiss Cup victories in 1994, 2002, and 2003.
Beyond Basel, his playing resume included spells at Grasshopper Club Zürich, VfB Stuttgart, and 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He earned 49 caps for the Switzerland national team and represented his country during UEFA Euro 2004. One particular highlight occurred on August 28, 2002, when he scored a goal in the 22nd minute against Celtic to help Basel qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Managerial career development
After retiring as a player, Murat transitioned into coaching. He began his management path at Thun in 2009. Under his leadership, the club achieved promotion by winning the Swiss Challenge League in 2010. His second season saw the team finish fifth in the Swiss Super League, qualifying them for the UEFA Europa League. In May 2011, he moved to Luzern.
Later, he took charge of Basel on October 15, 2012. During his Basel tenure, he guided the team to two domestic titles. He also oversaw victories against Chelsea in the 2013-14 Champions League group stage. Later, he managed Spartak Moscow in the Russian Premier League starting in June 2014, before leaving by mutual agreement in May 2015. He also returned to manage Schaffhausen in 2019.
Switzerland national team leadership
On August 9, 2021, Murat Yakin was appointed as the head coach of the Switzerland national team. His mandate involved preparing the squad for major international tournaments. He successfully guided the team to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2024, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
At the 2022 World Cup, he led the side to the round of 16. During the UEFA Euro 2024 competition, Switzerland reached the quarter-finals after a well-known victory against Italy. The team also showed strong form during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals for the first time in over seven decades after defeating Colombia.
Family and personal details
Murat Yakin comes from a family with deep ties to football. He is the elder brother of Hakan Yakin, who also enjoyed a successful professional career as a player for clubs like Grasshoppers, Basel, and Young Boys. Both brothers represented Switzerland at the international level. Murat is of Turkish descent and was born in Basel, Switzerland. He stands 184 centimeters tall. His zodiac sign is Virgo.
Birthday and age
Murat Yakin was born on September 15, 1974, which makes Murat 52 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Murat shares the date with 60 other famous people.
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