Mirko Salvi


Mirko Salvi is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as goalkeeper for Grasshopper.

Youth football

Born in Yverdon-les-Bains, Salvi started his youth football with Yverdon-Sport. In 2009, he transferred to Basel and played in their U-16 team where he won the Swiss Championship at U-16 level. He also played in the Basel U-18 team and one year in their U-21 team before he signed a three year professional contract in May 2012 and joined their first team squad.

Club career

At the end of the Swiss Super League season 2012–13 he won the Championship title and was Swiss Cup runner up with Basel. In the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League Basel advanced as far as the semi-finals, there being matched against the reigning UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea, but they were knocked out, losing both home and away ties, beaten 2-5 on aggregate. At the end of the Swiss Super League season 2013–14 he again won the Championship title and was Swiss Cup silver medal winner for the second time. During this period, as third Basel goalkeeper, he played regularly in their U-21 team and in some test games but never a league match.
On 19 May 2014, Basel announced that they were loaning out Salvi to Biel in the Swiss Challenge League, so that he could gain first-team experience in an environment somewhat more competitive than with the Reserves in the 1. Liga Promotion. He became their starting goalie and played his Challenge League debut in the Stade de Genève on 20 July 2014 in a 1–2 away defeat against Servette. After one year loan, in which he played 35 of the possible 36 Challenge League games, he returned to Basel as their first team third goalkeeper.
Salvi made his professional debut for Basel in the closing match of the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League group stage against Lech Poznań on 10 December 2015. He came on as a substitute just before half-time to replace injured Germano Vailati during the 1–0 away victory.

International career

Salvi was born in Switzerland and is of Italian descent. Salvi made diverse appearances for the Switzerland U-15 and U-16 national teams. He played his debut for their U-17 team in a 1–0 away defeat against the Belgium U-17 team on 26 August 2010. He played his debut for their U-18 team in a 2–0 away win against Estonia U-18 on 1 September 2011.
Salvi played his debut for their Swiss U-21 team in a 1–1 away draw on 14 November 2014 against the German U-21 at the Karl-Liebknecht-Stadion in Potsdam.

Titles and Honours

Basel