ZURICH, SWITZERLAND—in late 2024, Silvan Wallner, 22, former FC Zurich player and Swiss U21 international, announced the end of his professional soccer career for religious reasons. This sudden decision surprised the Swiss soccer world. He walked away from a promising professional soccer career to stay true to his faith.
Swiss footballer Silvan Wallner gave up a bright future in the sport because he chose to put God first. His story reminds us that no success is worth more than faithfulness to God's principles.
According to the statement published on the FC Blau-Weiss website, Wallner observes the Sabbath, a day of rest and communion with God, from Friday evening to Saturday evening. This religious precept prevents him from playing matches and training on Saturdays, which is incompatible with a career as a professional footballer. In his own words,
“First and foremost, I want to thank the management, staff, and the entire team at Blau-Weiß Linz. I also want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has supported and accompanied me on my sporting journey so far. I am a devout Christian and read the Bible. I make my own decisions about my life. I am not yet a member of any church. I want to follow Jesus Christ, and the biblical day of rest has become important to me. For me, as a professional, this means that from now on, I will not play professional football on Saturdays. This is a personal conviction I have come to in recent days.”
"For me, as a professional, this means that I no longer want to play football for a living on Saturdays.”
A Promising Career Cut Short
Wallner began his career at FC Zurich, where he won the Swiss championship in 2022. He then joined the Austrian club Blau-Weiss Linz in September 2024, where he was a regular. His contract, initially scheduled to run until 2026, was terminated by mutual agreement with the club. Despite a promising career and a final selection for the U21 national team in September, Wallner chose to follow his faith.
Silvan Wallner's choice highlights the importance of religious convictions, even for top athletes.
Stay faithful!
****
