A Village Football Team In Swiss Alps Has Lost Estimated 1,000 Balls In 40 Years

An amateur village team in the Swiss Alps play their football in a truly unique location.

FC Gspon of the Swiss Mountain League host games at the Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium, a stunning venue named after legendary former FC Basel and Germany striker.

Perched 2,000m above sea level, the stadium is only accessible by cable car.

Players are surrounded by giant peaks as an average of 40-50 fans attend games at summer time, while only a handful of die hard supporters watch in "extreme conditions", according to BBC.

The air may be thin but FC Gspon defender Diego Abgottspon says his team are used to the unusual conditions.

"For the opponents it is harder." says Abgottspon via BBC. "If we are 5-0 down at half-time we know we can come back and win. We are a team that is extremely strong in our home town."

It is reported that the club have lost an estimated 1,000 balls in their 40 year history.

Defender Alfons Brigger says the team must travel hundreds of metres to find them.

"Most of the time the balls travel about 100 metres down the hill - sometimes they're 200 or 300 metres further down," he said.

"Sometimes there are games when you won't lose any balls or maybe one, then there are others when 10 balls go out and before our next training we have to go down there and look for them.

"It's quite annoying."

This is by far the most beautiful football stadium of all time.

Let us know your thoughts on the Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium in the comments below.

Topics: SPORT, Football News, Football

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is a writer at SPORTbible. He's interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. He dabbles in all things sport but football is his biggest passion. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale.

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