Lia Wälti


Lia Joëlle Wälti is a Swiss football midfielder currently playing for Arsenal. She previously played in Switzerland for YB Frauen, where she won the Nationalliga A and debuted in the UEFA Champions League in 2011, and Turbine Potsdam.
She is a member of the Swiss national team since August 2011. As an Under-19 international she played the 2009 U-19 European Championship and the 2010 U-20 World Cup.

Club career

Early career

In 2002, at the age of 8, Wälti started playing for FC Langnau, a boys team coached by her father. In 2007 she was admitted to the Huttwill Training Centre and, half a year later, she joined Team Bern West. In 2009 she moved to BSC Young Boys, where she played for a year in the U16 boy's team.

FC Köniz (2008-2009)

At the same time she played for Team Bern West, Wälti joined FC Köniz of the Swiss Challenge League.

BSC YB Frauen (2009-2013)

In 2009, Wälti joined BSC YB Frauen, where, in 2011, she won the Nationalliga A. In the same year, she debuted in the UEFA Women's Champions League.

Turbine Potsdam (2013-2018)

In 2013 Wälti signed a contract with 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam of the Frauen-Bundesliga. A few years later, she became captain of the team.

Arsenal (2018-)

After 98 appearances with the German team, Wälti signed a contract with Arsenal in July 2018. In April 2019, she suffered a LCL injury which kept her out of football for 9 months.
On 13 December 2019, Wälti signed a long-term contract with the club.

International career

Youth

Wälti played in the 2008 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship. She also played for the Switzerland U19 team in 2008 and 2009. She reached the semifinals in the 2009 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship. The next year, she joined the U20 team at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

Senior

On 21 August 2011, Wälti made her debut for the Switzerland senior team in a match against Scotland.
In 2015, she played at the World Cup.