Gaëlle Thalmann

Gaëlle Thalmann (born 18 January 1986) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Spanish Liga F club Real Betis and the Switzerland national team.

Club career
Thalmann started her career at the age of nine with FC Bulle on a boys' team coached by her father. She played forward at this time and later switched to goalkeeper at age 14, when she advanced to the women's team FC Riaz. Two years later she joined FC Vétroz in Nationalliga B, the second highest tier of football in Switzerland.

Her first senior camp was FC Rot-Schwarz Thun, where she suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury. After one year, she switched to FFC Zuchwil 05, with whom she became vice-champion and league cup winner in 2006. This was followed by a move to FC Luzern Frauen. After a trial at 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, she signed a contract there on 8 January 2008 until 30 June 2009, joining the Bundesliga, the top league of football in Germany. Her first Bundesliga game was completed on 24 February 2008 in an away game against Hamburger SV. In 2009 she won with her team the DFB indoor cup and the German Championship. For the 2009/10 season she moved to Hamburger SV. In 2010 she returned to Switzerland, with Grasshopper. She played with 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig, and then joined top level Italian Serie A club ASD Torres. In the summer of 2014 she moved to MSV Duisburg. After MSV Duisburg's relegation to the second division, Thalmann returned to Switzerland and signed for FC Basel. In 2016 she moved to the Italian league for A.S.D. Bardolino Verona C.F. In the summer of 2019 she left Italy to return to Switzerland, to Servette Chênois. She played at Servette Chênois for two seasons, before moving to Real Betis in Spain in July 2021.

International career
Thalmann played her first international match with the Swiss U19 national team on 6 October 2002 in the match won by Switzerland 5-0 against the selection of Hungary in the first qualifying round for the UEFA European U19 Championship. She took part in the U20 World Cup in Russia.

Thalmann represents Switzerland on a senior level since 17 June 2007. Her debut was in a friendly match, playing for one half against Sweden. Stenia Michel took over as Switzerland's first-choice goalkeeper in the run up to the 2015 FIFA World Cup, when Thalmann had her anterior cruciate ligament injury. Thalmann took part in the 2022 European Championship and played in goal for the Swiss team in all three group games. Switzerland was eliminated after the preliminary round.

On 11 July 2023, she was included in the 23-player Switzerland squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. In the second group game of the Women's World Cup against Norway, Thalmann made four saves which earned their team a 0–0 draw. Her performances in the game secured a crucial point for La Natis and earned her a Player of the Match award.

Titles
Club


 * German Championship: 1
 * Potsdam turbines: 2008–09
 * Italian League: 1
 * Torres: 2012–13
 * Swiss cup: 1
 * Zuchwil 05: 2005–06
 * German Cup: 1
 * Potsdam Turbines: 2009
 * Italian Super Cup: 2
 * Torres: 2012, 2013

National


 * Cyprus Women's Cup: 1


 * 2017

Personal


 * Award for sporting merit in the Canton of Fribourg