The
ASF (Association Suisse de Football) had been founded in 1895. But like
the rest of the continent (except the British Home Nations), it took nearly a
decade for them to enter the International arena.
There had been contact with the rest of the continent at club
level. Swiss Selection Teams had also
played against their foreign counterparts.
The urge to enter International football intensified with the
Founding of FIFA in 1904.
The Swiss officially entered the world of International
Football in a Friendly on February 12th, 1905 vs. France at Paris.
Swiss’ first opponents and hosts had played their first ever
International Match of their own just months prior in 1904 vs. Belgium (3-3)
tie.
This would be their own second ever match and their very
first at home.
The
Match Organizers USFSA (Union des sociétés
françaises de sports athlétiques) and Racing Club de France (RCF) chose
the venue to be Paris’ Parc des Princes.
France’s
head of the Technical Commission Robert Guerin was also a journalist at ‘Le
Matin’ newspaper as well as the Secretary of the Football department at USFSA
and most importantly the first President of FIFA.
The
Swiss boarded their train in third class. They traveled on Friday night into
Saturday (18 hours total) to arrive at Paris.
Their
Federation gave each player 12.60 Swiss Francs for pocket money.
Team
Captain Edouard Garonne did not accept the money.
Secretary-General
Tschudy made the following statement "Mr. Ed. Garrone, Capt. Of the
Grasshopper Club, now returns this amount with the remark that the Grasshopper
Club does not allow any additional compensation to be paid to its members apart
from the travel expenses. " (Something may be lost in the direct
translation, my excuses..)
On
Saturday the Swiss delegation arrived fresh and rested and at 9 AM were met by
officials of USFSA: Mr Espir, Robert Guerin and Ernest Weber.
The
Swiss Federation President Schneider (also a FIFA Vice President) visited the
capital with the squad. They all went to bed early to be fresh for next day’s
match.
Johan
Bollinger and Eric Mory joined the squad separately on the morning of the match
as they could not be available before.
The
French players were called up via the newspaper ‘L’Auto’ on Sunday, The day of the match!!!!!!
The
players as well as the two substitutes were asked to meet at 10 AM at USFSA
Headquarters at 229, Rue Saint-Honoré to get to
know one another!!
Some players were doing their military service and had to
arrive from various locations: Mesnier (from Chateauroux), Canelle (from
Rouen), Verlet (from Toul), Allemane (from Chalons-Sur-Marne) and Filez (the
only member from the North).
 |
Photo
From: L'Equipe de Suisse, Authors Guy Balibouse, Roger Felix, Pierre Tripod,
1993
(Switzerland squad, February 12, 1905, France
1-Switzerland 0) |
Most
of the French contingent had played in their inaugural match vs, Belgium in the
previous year. The only debutants were Allemane, Wilkes and Nicolai.
There
was a rugby match at the stadium preceding this historic meeting and many felt
most of the fans were there for that occasion.
In
the Rugby Match, Racing defeated Sporting Club (15-3). Immediately after the
match, the goalposts were installed.
The
French wore white shirts with Black shorts except Mesnier. USFSA had not
provided shorts for the whole squad, as they did not have enough equipment for
all the players. As a result the players wore black shorts, however, Louis
Mesnier had to wear his own white shorts. The Swiss wore Red Shirts with a
White Cross.
The
French won the coin toss and the Swiss were to play the first half with the sun
in their eyes.
 |
Photo
From: L’Equipe, L’Equipe de France de Football, la Belle Histoire
(February
12, 1905, France 1-Switzerland 0)
|
The
French started well with Georges Garnier and Fernand
Canelle standing out. The Swiss gradually got into the game and created
opportunities. They found the French
goalkeeper Maurice Guichard in excellent form. He made many important saves to
keep the French in the game. He was
praised as the hero of the match.
The winning goal was scored after an hour of play.
Pierre Allemane passed to Marius Royet, who released Gaston Cyprès. Cyprès feigned a cross towards
Garnier, but shot in right corner of the Swiss goalkeeper.
Five
minutes later, Cyprès scored another
goal that was ruled offside by 50 centimeters!
The
Swiss pressed hard towards the end but found Guichard unbreachable. Near the
end, Guichard even saved on the line an effort by Hans Kampfer.
The French were victorious of their first ever match
and made history of their own.
The Swiss praised the speed of the French, while the
French praised the Swiss resistance and their understanding and teamwork with
one another.
 |
Photo
From: Capitaines des bleus depuis 1904, Author Vincent Duluc
(France
squad, February 12, 1905, France 1-Switzerland 0)
|
At
end of match, the winners were offered a bronze trophy called ‘Société d’encouragement au
Football’.
France’s
Georges Garnier declared ‘there are no winners nor losers, just two teams who
played well’.
French
Newspaper ‘L’Auto’ were very encouraged by the match and felt it had surpassed
all expectations. According to them
this match proved the definitive triumph of Association Football in France.
Despite the loss the Swiss had given a good account
of themselves. It was a first important step in the Fraternity of International
Football.
Note:
1- USFSA stands for (Union des sociétés françaises de sports athlétiques), the French Sports governing body at the time.
2-France’s Marius Royet was killed during World War I in
1915.
 |
Photo
From: Die Nati, Die Geschichte der Schweizer Fussball-Nationalmanschaft, author
Beat Jung, 2006
(Switzerland
squad and Match action from ‘La Suisse Sportive’ Newspaper, February 12, 1905,
France 1-Switzerland 0)
|
Date: February 12, 1905
Competition: Friendly
Result: France 1-Switzerland 0
Venue: Paris
-Parc des Princes
Attendance: 500
Referee: John
Lewis (England)
Goalscorers:
(France):
Gaston Cyprès 60
(Switzerland):
None
Lineups:
France:
Maurice Guichard (Union Sportive Parisienne-Paris)
Fernand Canelle (Club Français-Paris)
Joseph Verlet (Football Club de Paris)
Charles Wilkes (Le Havre Athletic Club
Football Association)
Pierre Allemane (captain) (Racing
Club de France- Paris)
Eugène Nicolai (United Sports Club-Paris)
Louis Mesnier (Football Club de Paris)
Marius Royet (Union Sportive Parisienne-Paris)
Georges Garnier (Club Français-Paris)
Gaston Cyprès (Football
Club de Paris)
Adrien Filez (Union Sportive Tourquennoise)
Coach:
Federation’s Technical Commission
Other
Substitutes:
Rene Eucher
Georges Bilot (Cercle Athlétique de
Paris)
Switzerland:
Alfred Uster (Football Club La
Chaux-de-Fonds)
Johann Friedrich ‘Fritz’ Bollinger (BSC (Baseler Sport Club) Old
Boys-Basel)
Eric Mory (BSC (Baseler Sport Club) Old
Boys-Basel)
Alfred Megroz (Montriond-Sports Football
Club – Lausanne)
Jean Forestier (Servette Football Club –
Genève)
Robert Studer (Fußball Club Bern)
Eugen Dutschler (Sankt-Gallen Fußball Club)
Karl Billeter (Football Club Cantonal
Neuchâtel)
Edouard Garonne (captain) (Grasshopper-Club Zürich)
Hans Kampfer (Montriond-Sports Football
Club – Lausanne)
Hermann Kratz (Young Fellows Football Club
–Zürich)
Coach: Emil Hasler
References:
Capitaines
des bleus depuis 1904, Author Vincent Duluc, 2003
Die
Nati, Die Geschichte der Schweizer Fussball-Nationalmanschaft, author Beat
Jung, 2006
IFFHS,
Schweiz,Suisse, Svizzera (1905-1940)
L’Equipe,
L’Equipe de France de Football, la Belle Histoire
L'Equipe
de Suisse, Authors Guy Balibouse, Roger Felix, Pierre Tripod, 1993
L'Integrale de L'Equipe de France de Football,
Authors J.M. and Pierre Cazal, Michel Oreggia, 1998
