The smile is there, although a little shy. She is thus Géraldine Reuteler. A warrior on the ground, a humble person and turned towards the others outside. Rather than in the heroine costume that she endorsed during the first three matches of the Swiss team, it is in that of teammate that she prefers to shine.
She is simply the only and only player of this tournament to have received three times the trophy of best player in the match. It is better than the double Spanish gold balloon Alexia Putellas or the Frenchman Delphine Cascarino (2). The 26 -year -old Nidwaldian is simply evolving on a cloud. “”Géri really makes an incredible tournament. It is very important for us on the ground. She has qualities that very few girls have“, testifies the Geneva Smilla Vallotto.”She is creative, efficient and intelligent, she earns a lot of balloons and duels.“
After the 2-0 victory against Iceland on July 6 to which Reutele has largely contributed by its commitment and its opening of the scoring, Captain Lia Wälti did not praise either. “”She does great in -depth shopping. She is hungry for goals and she almost never misses an opportunity. Right now, it is well worth gold for us.“
The awards and the rain of praise will not change the Swiss player of the year 2024, the crampons planted in the lawn. “”It is an incredible pleasure to play football in Switzerland with all these fans. It gives you wings and pushes you thoroughly“She explains during an interview with RTSSPORT a few steps from the Seepark Hotel in Thoune where the Swiss selection houses.”The team practices incredible football. Without her, I would not have become ‘MVP’ three times. I even think that the whole team could have been named ‘MVP’. We have a very, very strong team spirit.” At the service of the collective, always.
When it comes to this euro, this craze, the smile is still widening. “”I think we don’t really do it. It is impossible to put words on it. It’s so crazy about everything we live, everything we see in the stadium, the way fans encourage us. All of Switzerland is behind us. The fact that one can trigger such a thing in this country is really very, very cool. It’s a unique moment.“
Described as calm, always available to speak by Vallotto, reutele, beyond his talent and the work granted, is the very example of the player transcended by an event. But, heights where she is currently evolving, she does not forget where she comes from, her family with infallible support, nor the talented junior of FC Stans. “”I think she would be surprised “imagine-t-elle. “Surprised and proud of me, the whole team, from all over Switzerland. And she would say ‘continue like that’“. The young Géri can undoubtedly count on her elder to take it to the word and to give herself body and soul on Friday evening at the Wankdorf in the hope, a little crazy, to bring down Spain, reigning world champion and immense favorite.
Thoune, Ludovic Perruchéd