From U19 Euro to big stage? RB Leipzig's Emanuela Pfister is one to watch
Captain Lia Wälti, Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic, Géraldine Reuteler and Manchester City's rising star Iman Beney. While Switzerland has never been considered one of football's traditional powerhouses, it has produced a remarkable number of talented players. The latest name to emerge is Grasshopper Zürich striker Emanuela Pfister, who caught the eye at this summer's UEFA Women's U19 EURO.
Although Switzerland's women national U19 team failed to reach the knockout stage, Pfister finished the group phase as the tournament's joint top scorer with three goals. Her performances have inevitably attracted attention. And there is no suprise that clubs from Europe's best leagues showed her interest in her. From the new season, Pfister is gonna wear jersey of RB Leipzig.
At her age, that's hardly a disadvantage. After all, fellow teenager Felicia Schröder, who is actually one day younger than Pfister, recently completed a record-breaking transfer from BK Häcken to Real Madrid.
Little does RB Leipzig's know, when they signed her, how big is Emmanuela going to shine on UEFA Women's U19 Euro. But let's get back to the beggining.
From Zürich to Frauen Bundesliga
Born on 12 April 2007, Pfister's football journey has so far been firmly rooted in Switzerland. She started at FC Tuggen, progressed through the country's youth system and is now an established starter for Grasshopper Zürich. At one of Switzerland's most historic clubs, she has steadily developed into one of the league's brightest young talents and a player who looks ready to take the next step in the coming years.
She wasted little time proving why she has become one of Switzerland's most exciting prospects at the U19 EURO in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the opening match against favourites Spain, she calmly converted a late penalty to secure a valuable 2:2 draw. She then scored twice against Iceland to inspire Switzerland to a thrilling 4:3 victory. It was not enough to send Switzerland through to the knockout rounds, but Pfister still left the tournament as one of its standout performers.
Her breakthrough, however, was no coincidence. Pfister has already built an outstanding scoring record for Switzerland's U19 national team, underlining that this was far more than just one impressive tournament. She is the type of striker who always seems to appear in the right place at the right time, embraces responsibility and possesses the natural instinct every goalscorer needs. Players with that profile are becoming increasingly valuable across Europe.
Who will be next?
There is another fascinating layer to her story. Despite representing Switzerland, Pfister has Brazilian roots, making her one of a growing number of players with multicultural backgrounds shaping the future of international football. For now, though, she is firmly focused on Switzerland and has already become one of the faces of the country's next generation, offering reassurance that the national team will remain in good hands once stars like Lia Wälti and Géraldine Reuteler eventually bring their careers to an end.
Swiss women's football has consistently shown in recent years that it can develop players capable of succeeding at Europe's biggest clubs. Arsenal's signing of Géraldine Reuteler this summer is the latest example. Chelsea last summer secured national team's first choice goalkeeper Livia Peng. And Manchester City signed raising star Iman Beney. Pfister is no an exeption. The U19 EURO provided exactly how her big potencial is. And Germany's Frauen Bundesliga gained another interesting player to watch.
RB Leipzig seems to be perfect destination for young talent like Pfister. Club with great facility, ambitious plan for young stars and ambition in one of Europe's best women's leagues.
