Xherdan Shaqiri opens up about his move to America

No other player in the Swiss national team is as polarizing as Xherdan Shaqiri. The 31-year-old now has 112 caps and is one of the team’s oldest players.

At the club level, the “Magic Dwarf” has recently disappeared from the radar. Shaqiri has been playing for Chicago Fire in the United States since February 2022.

Overseas he is the superstar of his team. However, from a gaming perspective, the franchise is pretty bad. Chicago finished third from the bottom last season.

In the SRF documentary “The Pressure Game”, Xherdan Shaqiri opens up about his move to America. Attacker makes it clear that the transfer is not just about the game.

“The most important thing in life is that you are happy and enjoy your work. I always give myself the same task: have fun on the football field,” says Shaqiri. That’s why he’s happy to be in Chicago now. “I always admire America.”

There were many factors that led to his conversion. One of them is media pressure and how to deal with it. “So much is written about you that you care whether these things are true or not,” Shaqiri said.

In addition, the private sector plays a decisive role. “I’ve been in the spotlight for years in Europe. It doesn’t matter where I’ve moved,” confirmed the left-footer.

That was a decisive point for him to go to America. “I need a little more peace around me. “Sometimes I can walk through the city alone without anyone seeing me,” says Xherdan Shaqiri.

The footballer in Europe misses things like this. “When I go out with my colleagues, many people come here. Then I feel restricted and not free. Then I sometimes think to myself: ‹Today I will be in the shoes of my colleague or my brother.›»

In the current season, Shaqiri is still waiting for his first win with Chicago. He missed the last game due to muscle problems. We continue against Miami on Sunday.