Switzerland's Ramona Bachmann on keeping chilled for Women's EURO, her Wembley dream and her pre-match habits

A few weeks after announcing her engagement, Paris and Switzerland forward Ramona Bachmann sat down for a chat with the @womensfootball team, talking through the mood in her team's camp, her role within the squad, and the pre-match ritual that helps keep her focused.

Do Switzerland have quite a chilled squad?

I think we are more relaxed now than we were maybe a few years ago when it was our first tournament, or our first European Championship. Obviously, we have young players here that haven’t been part of a EUROs, but we still have a lot of experienced players that have been part of a tournament. So, I feel like the group is quite relaxed, really focused, hard working right now.

Our first game is going to be against Portugal; this is going to be a very important one. You always want to start well at the EUROs, but I think, for us, it’s even more important as we’re going to play two really strong opponents: Sweden and [the Netherlands] are two of the favourites to even win the tournament. Portugal is a very strong team. They have some great, talented players. They’re really fast up front and they’re very technical.

What’s your favourite thing about playing for Switzerland?

Well, I think my favourite thing is that this is the country that I was born in, where I was raised, where my parents are from, so it’s just a very special feeling and it makes me very proud to be able to wear that jersey and represent my country.

Bachmann after scoring at Wembley with ChelseaChelsea FC via Getty Images

How does it feel to be one of the most experienced players in the side?

I can help the team a lot with the experience I have, and I’m just trying to use that, obviously. And also for me, personally, I’m better at managing my emotions, just better as a player because I just know through the experience I have how to manage a game and how to stay in the game and stay focused; even if it doesn’t go the way we want it to, it’s always important to stay in the game.

It’s been a strength of mine to try to find the spaces. I get the free role in the team from the coach. I’m able to move around the team on the pitch a little and [go] where I see the spaces, and it’s hard to defend [against]. And that’s where I’m best.

Which ground are you most looking forward to playing at at Women's EURO?

Well, my favourite has always been Wembley. I have great memories from there [where I won the 2018 FA Cup final with Chelsea], so hopefully I’ll be able to play one game there. I know the final is going to be played there.

Bachmann's Swedish clubmate Amanda IlestedtUEFA via Getty Images,

Which player are you most looking forward to coming up against in the EUROs this summer?

Well, I’m going to look forward to playing against Sweden because I have a team-mate who I’m playing with right now, Amanda Ilestedt, and I have a lot of ex-team-mates playing on the team.

Do you have any pre-match rituals before a game?

I do. I always pray before games. It’s very personal, it’s like nobody really sees me doing it. I do it in a private space. For me, it’s all about being thankful to be able to have the opportunity to go out on the pitch, because for me, it’s not something that just happens; you have to work hard for it. Obviously, I’m gifted, I’ve got the talent and I’m just always very thankful. Yeah, I just pray before a game, and then I do the same after the game.

Have you seen your own Panini sticker yet?

A lot of my team-mates are actually collecting them. Last week, someone had me and I got it as a gift, and she gave it to me. I’m not collecting them. But yeah, I got myself.

Bachmann after scoring at the 2015 World Cup in CanadaAFP via Getty Images

Which Swiss player is one to watch for the finals?

Riola Xhemaili. She’s very technical, she can read the game really, really well. She’s a great player to connect with on the pitch. She’s definitely going to be a little diamond for the tournament.

What has been your personal Switzerland highlight so far?

Probably the [2015] World Cup in Canada with the national team. It was our first tournament ever. It was history for Switzerland, and we even got out of the group stage and played against Canada in Vancouver, in front of all the Canadian fans. We played a great game, and we were a bit unlucky with not putting our chances away.

They won 1-0, but it was still a great experience, and it was very special to represent the country and write history.