Liechtenstein

The Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny, doubly-landlocked state in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland to its west and by Austria to its east. Mountainous, it is a winter sports resort, though it is perhaps best-known as a tax haven.

Sport

Liechtenstein football teams play in the Swiss football leagues. The Liechtenstein Cup allows access to one Liechtenstein team each year in the UEFA Cup -- FC Vaduz, a team playing in the Swiss Challenge League (i.e. the second level of Swiss football) is the most successful team in the Cup, and scored their greatest success in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1996 when they defeated the Latvian team FC Universitate Riga by 1:1 and 4:2, to go on to a lucrative fixture against Paris St Germain, which they lost 0:4 and 0:3.

Related Topics:
Football - UEFA Cup - FC Vaduz - 1996 - Latvia - FC Universitate Riga - Paris St Germain

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The Liechtenstein national football team has traditionally been regarded as an easy target for any team drawn against them, a fact that served as the basis for a book about Liechtenstein's disastrous qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup by British author Charlie Connelly. In autumn 2004, however, in an astonishing week the team managed a 2:2 draw with Portugal, who only a few months earlier had been the losing finalists in the European Championships, and went on four days later to defeat Luxembourg by 4 goals to 0 in Luxembourg, in qualification matches for the 2006 World Cup.

Related Topics:
Liechtenstein national football team - 2002 - World Cup - Charlie Connelly - 2004 - Portugal - European Championships - Luxembourg - 2006 World Cup

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As an alpine country, the main opportunity for Liechtensteiners to excel is in winter sports such as downhill skiing: Hanni Wenzel won two Olympic titles in 1980.

Related Topics:
Downhill skiing - Hanni Wenzel - Olympic - 1980

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