Highs and lows

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October 14, 2009: the national team celebrates after making it to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, following a 0-0 draw with Israel. (Keystone, Patrick Staub) Keystone

September 10, 2008: Switzerland lose 2-1 at home to lowly Luxembourg - ranked 160th in the world - in their second qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The press went to town. (Keystone/Alessandro Della Bella) Keystone

Hakin Yakin converts his penality during Switzerland's 2-0 win over Portugal during Euro 2008, which was jointly hosted by Switzerland and Austria. The bittersweet victory at Basel's St Jacob's Park was the eliminated Swiss team's last game of the championships. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Keystone

The Swiss national team says goodbye to trainer Jakob (Köbi) Kuhn after their win over Portugal. Kuhn was at the helm for seven years. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Keystone

The game that ended co-host Switzerland's Euro 2008 dreams. Disappointment for Philippe Senderos (left) and Patrick Müller after a 2-1 defeat by Turkey on June 11. (EPA/Gerry Penny) Keystone

June 26, 2006: Switzerland vs Ukraine in the second round of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. After 90 minutes plus extra-time the scoreline was 0-0. In the penalty shoot-out Marco Streller and Ricardo Cabanas saw their efforts saved by goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovsky while Tranquillo Barnetta hit the bar. Ukraine won the shoot-out 3-0, leaving the Swiss fans bitterly disappointed. (Keystone) Keystone

Swiss players and coaches celebrate their second goal against Turkey in the deciding 2006 World Cup qualification play-off game in Istanbul in November 2005. Turkey eventually won the game 4-2, but the Swiss got through thanks to their earlier 2-0 home win. (Keystone) Keystone

Jörg Stiel fields the ball in unusual fashion in the Euro 2004 game against Croatia in Portugal. But the Swiss goalkeeper could not prevent Switzerland's exit in the group stages of the tournament. (Keystone) Keystone

Debacle in Baku: Rolf Fringer (left), Switzerland's new national team coach, hangs his head on August 31, 1996, as his team loses its first World Cup qualification game against rank outsiders Azerbaijan. Ciriaco Sforza (right) leaves the pitch frustrated. (Keystone) Keystone

England goalkeeper David Seaman sits on the ground helpless as Swiss striker Kubilay Türkyilmaz (middle) converts a penalty to score Switzerland's only goal of the 1996 European Championships. The opening game between England and Switzerland ended 1-1. Switzerland were eliminated in the group stages. (Keystone) Keystone

June 23, 1994, Los Angeles: An unforgettable 4-1 victory by the Swiss over Romania during the World Cup in the United States. Goal scorer Adrian Knup celebrates. Switzerland qualified second in their group, but lost 0-3 in the second round against Spain. (RDB) RDB

A helpless Köbi Kuhn as Switzerland lost their opening 1978 World Cup qualifying match 1-0 against a supposedly inferior Norway. Kuhn and Joko Pfister were thrown out of the national side after breaking team rules, but were later rehabilitated to the side. The game went down in folklore as "The Night of Oslo" and the World Cup started in Argentina without Switzerland. (Keystone) Keystone

A 7-1 dream win against Romania. Fritz Künzli (No. 9) celebrates with Rolf Blättler. The qualification match for the 1968 European Championships awakened Swiss hopes which were later dashed by Italy. This began a long series of honorable defeats for the Swiss national side. (Keystone) Keystone

July 16, 1966: The Scandal of Sheffield. Midfield playmaker Köbi Kuhn and defender Werner Leimgruber cause consternation in the Swiss camp by breaking a team curfew and arriving back late at the hotel the day before a World Cup match against West Germany. The pair are dropped and Switzerland lose 0-5. Switzerland bow out at the group stages of the tournament with a record of: three matches, three defeats and a 1:9 goal difference. (Swiss National Library)

Wankdorf stadium in Bern, qualification for the 1962 World Cup in Chile: Norbert Eschmann heads a goal during the 3-2 victory against Sweden, runners-up in the previous World Cup. 59,000 ecstatic fans could barely be contained from bursting onto the field, which threatened to halt the match. With the win, Switzerland earned a play-off deciding match against the same opponents in Berlin, which they won 2-1. (Keystone) Keystone

Switzerland hosted the 1954 World Cup: In the group stages, the Swiss beat Italy twice. They led Austria 3-0 in the quarter-final, but the extraordinary heat sapped their energy to allow Austria to win the game 7-5. It was the highest scoring game in the history of the World Cup. (RDB) RDB

The Swiss team at Zurich airport before their flight to Brazil for the 1950 World Cup. Switzerland drew 2-2 with hosts and tournament favourites, Brazil, with a spirited performance during the tournament. (RDB) Keystone

"The Heroes of Paris" beat big neighbours Germany in the 1938 World Cup in Paris. The opening round game against Germany ended 1-1 after extra-time. Three days later, Switzerland emerged victorious 4-2 in the legendary replay. David had beaten Goliath and the whole of Switzerland celebrated. (Keystone) Keystone

Olympic Games, Paris, 1924: European Champions! Switzerland lost to Uruguay 0-3 in the final, but as the best European team they earned the unofficial tag of European champions. (Keystone) Keystone

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Unforgettable moments of Swiss football.

Victories, defeats and scandals – a look back at the history of the Swiss national football team.