User:Huligan0/Benjamin Huggel

Early years and Basel
Huggel began his youth football with local club FC Münchenstein and came through the ranks between 1987 and 1996. He was loaned out to FC Arlesheim for two years (the price of which was a match ball), before completing his move to FC Basel in 1998. In his first year in Basel, under Manager Guy Mathez, he was solely a reserve player. Huggel made his debut for Basel on 6 December 1998, as he was transfered in during the 65th minute, in the 2–1 away win in the Wankdorf Stadium against Young Boys. In the 1998–99 season he made just three short appearances as substitute in the first team. But during the following year in the 1999–2000 Nationalliga A, under new Manager Christian Gross, he advanced into the starting team and played 34 of the 36 league games, scoring four goals. He scored his first goal for the team on 15 August 1999 as Basel won 2–0 against Luzern at home in the Schützenmatte Stadion. Huggel enjoyed his best campaign in 2000–01 when he scored eight goals in 29 league games from the centre of midfield.

Huggel was part of the side that won the Double in the year 2002. But he missed the Cup Final due to an injury. He first rose to international prominence with his displays for FC Basel during their Champions League run in the 2002–03 season. A series of injuries had previously badly hampered his progress and the midfielder struggled in the face of stiff competition to win his way back into the side. However he did play as Basel knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League in 2002. Basel finished second in the Swiss Super League that season and won the Swiss Cup after beating Neuchâtel Xamax 6–0 in the final, thus Huggel won his second Cup title. Huggel scored the first goal in that final.

During the following year Huggel had another successful season, scoring eight times in 32 games during the 2003–04 League season, as Basel won the Swiss title back from Grasshopper-Club Zürich. Another year later Huggel won his third Championship title at the end of the 2004–05 season.