The AEK player, speaking to 20 Minuten, stated that he is happy and proud of what he is achieving in Greece, stressing that he hopes that this will give him the ticket to the Euro finals with Switzerland.
Analytically:
Steven Zuber, your third season at AEK. How is life in Greece?
Life here is great. Athens is a vibrant city that offers everything from culture and food to climate, beaches combined with a relaxed lifestyle.
What do you do when you are not busy with football?
My dog, Saint, has become the center of my life. It has energy for four people and I travel with it a lot.
You are close to winning the title for the second season in a row, while last year you also won the Cup.
You can definitely see on the pitch that I’m happy here. It is an extremely positive experience here for me.
In our last interview after the excellent 2021 European Championship, you mentioned the Premier League as a childhood dream. Then came the move from Frankfurt to AEK, a surprise for many to this day.
There were various offers, but none convinced me completely. AEK took care of me in a special way that I had not experienced before. I felt comfortable, that I was valued and I chose Athens. The Premier League remains a dream, but in life you can’t always have it all – and sometimes there are reasons for that.
From the Swiss point of view, you are not as much in the spotlight as you used to be in the Bundesliga. How do you deal with this?
It is not so easy to watch the Greek league on TV in Switzerland, so this is completely normal. Thanks to social media and media reports, my goals, hits and achievements continue to reach Switzerland (laughs).
There were less cool headlines at the start of the year. Due to several incidents of violence, the government banned fans from entering the stadium. How did you experience this?
There were various incidents and harsh measures were taken. As players we understood that, but we are extremely happy that the fans are back. After Covid, people don’t want to experience “ghost matches” anymore. Measures have been implemented in the stadiums that promise improvement and the atmosphere continues to be good.
Last summer, an AEK fan was murdered following incidents involving Dinamo Zagreb’s Ultras. You then visited the crime scene with the team. How was;
The fact that a person died for wearing and supporting yellow instead of red or blue or green continues to frustrate me. This should not happen. Several people needed to go to hospital after incidents in the city center – including children. This has nothing to do with our beautiful football and I hope the perpetrators receive their just punishment.
Return to sport: In Athens you sometimes play as a striker. How do you see your role?
I feel more comfortable in the center, where I can influence the game. But as you know, I am complex. From left back, right back, winger, defensive midfielder or striker. I’ve already played everything.
Where would you like to play in the national team?
I know where I can show things and play my best football. But it’s a team sport and at the end of the day, I go full throttle where it’s needed.
Does Swiss national team player Murat Yakin need you? You were last with the National Team in June 2023.
I have known Murat Yakin since I was 15 years old and we have always had a good relationship. He knows exactly what he has and what he can expect from me as a person and a footballer. We have regular contact and I respect his decisions even if they don’t involve me.
It sounds harmonious, but do you really want to be in the European Championship?
The decision rests solely with the coach and his team. What I can influence is my performance. I want to be proud of it and I want to achieve a lot in Athens. I know what I can do. If it’s good enough for the national team, even better. I want to make it as difficult as possible for Yakin not to include me in the mission.
However, there is speculation that you will not be called up by Yakin because of your long-time agent, Milos Malenovic, now Zürich’s sporting director.
This is nonsense. I don’t even know what kind of relationship the two have. What I do know is that Murat Yakin does not make decisions based on such factors.
What does it mean to you to play in the National team?
To me this is a beautiful thing. I know I can make my dad and a lot of other people proud with it. In 2021, we managed to cause incredible joy in Switzerland with our victory in the 16. To be present in such moments, but also to know that I can ignite such emotions with my appearance, is perhaps the most beautiful thing.
Do you think Switzerland can achieve something similar again?
Switzerland has sensational players and top performances, especially in the world’s top leagues. We are no longer a following nation. We have the personalities in the squad who can also ensure that this National Team is successful.
