Danique Stein – RotBlau in the blood
Valérie Ziegler, nuage
You get a sense of what she’s like as soon as you speak to the upbeat bon vivant on the phone. Danique Stein sees herself as authentic, helpful and funny. The current European Women’s Football Championship is contributing to her good mood: “I’m so happy I was able to be in the stadium for the opening game”, says the 34-year-old former Swiss international, her eyes shining, “The game inspired me immensely. I’m proud and grateful to be from Basel, and I think it’s not only wonderful, but absolutely right that we were allowed to host the opening match.”
“I’m proud and grateful to be from Basel.” Danique Stein
Even if women’s football still struggles with (too) many prejudices, and the commentary about the Swiss national team was anything but positive shortly before the tournament, there was no sign of any of this at St. Jakob-Park in Basel on 2 July 2025: “The stadium was packed. Young or old, you could see the enthusiasm in everyone’s eyes!” The result – Switzerland didn’t really deserve to lose 2–1 to Norway – was of secondary importance.
Football unites
Danique has always lived for football. Even as a small child, on camping holidays she spent weeks playing football with her Dutch cousins. She went to a number of matches with her father, who was an active football player himself.
For a long time, she was the only girl on her team. At 14, she joined the FC Concordia Basel women’s first team. This was only possible with a special authorisation, as she was officially still too young. After a two-year stint abroad, where the former defender played in the Bundesliga, FC Basel came knocking in 2011. “For me, there is only one club in Switzerland. I knew that I wanted to play here – until the end of my career.”
“For me, there is only one club in Switzerland. I knew that I wanted to play here – until the end of my career.” Danique Stein
And how she played! For years, she was the top player and captain of the RotBlaus. She was also there when FCB won the Swiss Women’s Cup in 2014, and she played a total of 22 times for the national team.
For Danique, there is only one club in Switzerland: FC Basel 1893. © Basel Tourismus, Oz Jacob Tabib
As if her everyday life as a professional footballer wasn’t fulfilling enough, Danique has always made time for her life off the pitch. During her playing career, she completed an internship at the Nachwuchs-Campus Basel Foundation for her vocational school-leaving certificate, and later obtained a coaching diploma.
In 2017, although she was only 27, she realised that her time had come. “My inner voice told me that it was now important to prioritise myself.”
She longed for flexibility, wanted to travel, step on the gas at work... “All my life I’ve staked everything on football. And I was tired of skipping every birthday party.”
Party was a foreign word during Danique’s young life, in any case. “Even though I missed out on a lot of things in my youth, I don’t like to talk about sacrifice, because my career has allowed me to learn so much that has stood me in good stead.”
“Even though I missed out on a lot of things in my youth, I don’t like to talk about sacrifice.” Danique Stein
The woman who gets up at six o’clock every day to start her day in a relaxed manner thinks back to travelling the world with the Swiss national team and the many great people she met: “Discipline, perseverance, team spirit, competitiveness, the ability to summarise my performance at the right moment – these are all skills that I can apply in my everyday life today. If I had questioned that back then, I would never have got this far.”
Danique Stein © Basel Tourismus, Oz Jacob Tabib
Danique Stein © Basel Tourismus, Oz Jacob Tabib
Danique Stein © Basel Tourismus, Oz Jacob Tabib
However, the end of her playing career was by no means the end for Danique. “My father in particular, and my former coach Willy Schmid, motivated me to become a coach.” The Basel native with Dutch roots coached the FC Basel Women’s first team until 2022. “I like being a role model and I like the feeling that I can also give something back to young players as a coach.”
She has remained loyal to FCB to this day. As part of the management team of the Nachwuchs-Campus Basel Foundation, she is responsible for administration, finance, events, and some of the talent management. “Football connects people”, says Danique, “Anyone who grew up here in the region knows that red and blue are so much more than just two colours!”
All eyes on the Women’s Euros
Some of the most important matches of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 will take place at St. Jakob-Park, the home of FC Basel. © Sacha Grossenbacher
St. Jakob-Park © Switzerland Tourism
She is enjoying the current UEFA Women’s Euros to the full. It was overwhelming to see posters of her former teammates everywhere: “It’s amazing how far we’ve come!” Of course, she hopes that the trend will not end after the European Championships: “It’s great that women’s football is finally getting its moment to shine. What fulfils me above all is to see that young girls are being encouraged to play football; that they are being shown that they can live their dream today if they want to. And that they can gain new female role models.”
“It’s great that women’s football is finally getting its moment to shine.” Danique Stein
In Switzerland, in particular however, there is still plenty of room for improvement. At least as far as recognition of the sport is concerned. “A lot has improved in terms of training over the last ten years.” The conditions for women are finally the same as for men. “It’s important that we can also train six times a week – and not just at eight o’clock in the evening.”
Prerequisites that were not yet in place during Danique’s junior years. “The will to push women’s football is one hundred per cent more today. At least at FCB.”
Nevertheless, the woman from Muttenz would like to see even more acceptance. “We women still have to prove ourselves too much.” The fear of humiliation still lurks in too many corners. Humiliation that feeds into the opinions of people who are just waiting for another reason to drop women’s football. “It shouldn’t be a fight anymore! What’s stopping us living out our dream? After all, we’re not forcing anyone to watch our football.”
“What’s stopping us living out our dream? After all, we’re not forcing anyone to watch our football.” Danique Stein
For the Swiss Super League, she also hopes that more Swiss coaches will come onto the market – the league is still largely dominated by foreign coaches.
Danique hardly plays football at the moment, she would rather go jogging or to the gym – and enjoy the sun at Rhybadhüsli Breite (Rhine bath Breite). “But it always tickles me. I’m only 34 and I’m convinced that I’ll be back on the pitch sooner or later.”
Rhine bath Breite © Basel Tourismus
As a future national team coach, perhaps? “That’s definitely a dream of mine. Of course, it would be cool if I could choose between Holland and Switzerland at some point”, she laughs. And at the same time, she surely knows that she has what it takes.
Cooperation with Basel Happens
Would you like to meet more exciting personalities of Basel? On the Instagram channel “Basel Happens”, our journalist Valérie Ziegler has been showcasing her beloved city since 2017, together with the local photographer Oz J Tabib. Discover inspiring and unique places, people, and projects!
