Xherdan Shaqiri opens up on signing for Stoke City as he rediscovers sensational form
Xherdan Shaqiri is enjoying a remarkable season back in Switzerland but part of his heart remains in the Potteries
Xherdan Shaqiri says he loved being a Stoke City player as he sits on the cusp of glory back at first club Basel.
Shaqiri, now aged 33, has scored 14 and set up another 17 in 29 Super League games this season since heading back to Switzerland from Chicago Fire. It is form which has led Basel to the brink of the title and still in the chase for the Swiss Cup, with a semi-final against Lausanne this afternoon.
The diminutive forward is adored by supporters back at his hometown club but looks with joy at the journey he made since leaving them in 2012 for stints with Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Liverpool and Lyon – and Stoke, where he made nearly 100 appearances from 2015 to 2018.
He had plenty of options when he signed for the Potters and told FourFourTwo: “It was important for me to have the confidence of the club and the coach, and Mark Hughes really wanted me. A couple of clubs were interested but Stoke gave me the best option to play my game and grow as a player.
“I was still young [23] and going to the Premier League was always a big dream. I loved being at Stoke. They have a big history, as one of the oldest clubs in the world.”
He added: “I didn’t know about (the phrase about doing it at Stoke on a cold Tuesday night) at first, but I did afterwards. I think I showed I could do it, many times – 100 per cent. It was very windy there! The wind made it tough for away teams because the corners of the stadium were open.
“I remember the goalkeeper [Asmir Begovic] scoring one time with a long ball because of the wind! The fans were always behind us. It was a loud stadium with unbelievable support, so it was always difficult to play against Stoke.”
