Joël Mall

Joël Yves Mall (Τζόελ Μαλ; born 5 April 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Swiss Super League side Servette. Born in Switzerland, he plays for the Cyprus national team after gaining citizenship in 2023.

Career
Mall attracted media attention in November 2014 when he pulled off a spectacular double save in a game against FC Zürich. Zürich were awarded a penalty which was taken by Amine Chermiti. Mall saved the initial shot but it rebounded back to Chermiti who shot again, but Mall saved the second shot as well. Incredibly Chermiti then had a third shot at goal but this time it was acrobatically hooked off the line by defender Igor N'Ganga. Mall was under contract with FC Aarau and was used there from the 2008/09 season for the reserve team in the 5th division. At the beginning of the 2011/12 season he ousted Sascha Studer as first-team goalkeeper in the Challenge League, through the club's promotion he then played in the Super League from the 2013/14 season. He made his professional debut in the top flight on 21 March 2010 in an away game against Neuchâtel Xamax the game was lost 1:2.

In June 2015, Mall moved from Super League relegated FC Aarau to record champions Grasshopper Club Zurich and signed a two-year contract.

On 1 June 2017 Mall moved from Grasshopper Club Zürich to Bundesliga relegated SV Darmstadt 98. There he made his first competitive appearance in the 3-4 home defeat against 1. FC Nürnberg on 16 October 2017 (10th matchday) because first-choice goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes broke his finger in training. After Heuer Fernandes' recovery, he injured his own shoulder which left him only No. 3 by the end of the season.

This eventually saw a move to Cyprus for Paphos FC in 2018 and a year later he moved to Apollon Limassol within the league. He joined AEK Larnaka in early 2021 and Olympiakos Nicosia in mid-year.

On 21 June 2023, he returned to Switzerland, joining previous season's runners-up Servette FC. He made his first team debut in the second leg of Servette's Champions League qualifying match away against K.R.C. Genk, coming on in the 59th minute to replace injured Jérémy Frick. Mall made seven saves during the remainder of the game, which was instrumental in getting his team into a penalty shoot-out with a score of 2–2 after extra time, as Genk were unable to score against Mall. In the shoot-out, two Genk shooters missed the goal and Servette qualified for the third round of Champions League qualifying against Glasgow Rangers.

International career
Mall is a former youth international for Switzerland, and appeared for the Switzerland U-20 team.

On 1 June 2023, after being awarded the country's citizenship, he was called up to the Cyprus National Team. On 17 June 2023, he made his debut in a 1–2 loss against Georgia in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying. He played his second senior international game on 20 June 2023, a 1–3 loss to Norway.

Honours
Servette FC
 * Swiss Cup: 2023–24