We from the Internal School of the transit home Im Vogelsang were invited by the Murat Yakin Foundation to a training of the Swiss national team on March 22, 2023.
Excited, we made our way from the Internal School to St. Jakob Park, to the training ground of FC Basel. There we already met some other homes. Even the Nati bus was there and we were allowed to take pictures of it as a class. Mrs. Stamm and the nice security welcomed us warmly and we even got white t-shirts for autographs. The security then led us to the pitch. We had to wait a few minutes until we were let in.
Then the big moment had come: We saw all the players of the national team who were training. Mrs. Stamm and the security led us to our seat, where we were allowed to sit down. We watched the training impressed. The players were running incredibly fast and practicing a technique that they actually used in the game against Belarus.
Shortly after, we received a lunch box with an apple, a small multivitamin juice, a sandwich and a bar. Then it was finally time: after the training session was over, we were allowed onto the pitch. Most of us had pens with us to collect signatures. We were given a small ball and a pennant for the players to sign. Almost everyone was on the soccer field. We were allowed to go up to the players and collect autographs. Yann Sommer and Granit Xhaka even signed on our shoes! Some of our classmates were pictured together with Granit Xhaka on the homepage "Swissnatimen" on Instagram.
Then it was soon time to go. But we really wanted to get Embolo's autograph. He chatted with another man for a while. Finally, he ran to us. Only those who were at the very front still got a signature. Even the bus driver started to get impatient and honked his horn a few times. Embolo quickly ran to the bus and almost his well-trained body knocked us over. We waved after the bus.
We said goodbye to Mrs. Stamm and the other homes and then drove happily and contentedly back to the transit home Im Vogelsang.
