Nadine Riesen has a more mixed season at Eintracht Frankfurt. At the European Championship start against Norway (1: 2), the full-back flourished in a new role and caused goosebumps moment in Basel.
It completely broke out from Nadine Giant in the 28th minute: The 25-year-old had just scored the 1-0 for Switzerland against Norway-in the opening game at the home European Championship. “I was incredibly happy about the goal”she later described the ARD microphone. Giant ran over the square with spread arms, hearted her teammates extensively and even had a smile on his face even at the half -time whistle.
Barely Starting elf inserts At Eintracht Frankfurt
For giants, your own hit is a rarity anyway. In the Swiss jersey, she managed to do this only once in 31 games: in a 4-0 win in Azerbaijan in front of a good 200 spectators-no comparison to the Basel St. Jakob-Park, the 34,063 followers on Wednesday evening. For Eintracht Frankfurt, where giants have been playing for two years, she has not yet met in 36 missions.
In any case, the past season at Eintracht was not a happy. The Eastern Switzerland, who once started her professional career in her hometown of St. Gallen, was in each of the 22 Bundesliga games in the squad, but she was only allowed to go six times in the starting eleven. No wonder that she also worried about her nomination for the EM, especially since national coach Pia Sundhage did not take her into account in the spring of 2025.
Nadine Giant switched from FC Zurich to Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023
Goal in the most important game of the career so far
Giant continued to fight for her dream and pushed extra layers in the weight room, as she told the Swiss portal “20min” a few weeks ago. That paid off: In the last game of the Frankfurt season, hugees were allowed to take over 90 minutes after months of waiting and scored two hits. Sundhage finally called them to the European Championship squad. And in the last preparatory game, the 4-1 victory against the Czech Republic, Giant also got a scorer point.
In the opening game against Norway, the Tor stage then belonged to her – in the most important game of her career so far. “We talked a lot about the home European Championship and that we look forward to it. But when the time comes, it’s an incredible moment”she said.
Giant was an asset against the Norwegians, especially in the first half – also because of their changed role. Actually, she is a full -back and can be used flexibly on both sides. If it comes to the Eintracht, then mostly in a chain of four. Sundhage currently offers much more offensive in the system with a chain of five – with success: Giant played numerous accents in the opening game on the left, including the assist to the slatted hit by Géraldine Reuteler in the 24th minute. At the goal, she was lucky that the ball fell in front of her feet through a failed Norwegian defense campaign and her shot from the inner post went into the goal.
Giant: “Perhaps were too euphoric”
The fact that giants did not become a match winner was due to the two goals conceded who caught the Swiss in the second half. And that giants were just offside before the referee decided on a penalty after a slight spider (71st minute). The vary the good balance chance, it remained 1-2 from a host’s point of view. “We wanted to offer the spectators even more, we might be too euphoric at certain moments”she analyzed the second 45 minutes. “It is of course very unhappy. But I had the feeling that we have it very well under control.”
Giant and their colleagues have given the Swiss fans: confidence. After the bumpy preparation, the mood among the hosts was not particularly good, the performance against Norway was a significant improvement. “I hope that it has done more for everyone” “according to Giant, which was enthusiastic about the audience anyway: “Today we were definitely twelve players on the pitch and not just eleven. So it is very disappointing that we couldn’t give back.” The Swiss fans against Norway still had a goosebumps moment – thanks to Nadine giant.