Benjamin Büchel

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Benjamin Büchel

| image = Benjamin Büchel, Oxford United footballer, February 2016.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Büchel playing for Oxford United in 2016.

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|7|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Ruggell, Liechtenstein

| height = {{height|m=1.87}}

| position = Goalkeeper

| currentclub = Vaduz

| clubnumber = 1

| years1 = 2006–2008

| clubs1 = FC Ruggell

| caps1 = 2

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2008–2009

| clubs2 = FC Widnau

| caps2 = 31

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2009–2012

| clubs3 = USV Eschen/Mauren

| caps3 = 74

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2012–2015

| clubs4 = Bournemouth

| caps4 = 0

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2013

| clubs5 = → Dorchester Town (loan)

| caps5 = 3

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2013

| clubs6 = → Poole Town (loan)

| caps6 = 6

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2014

| clubs7 = → Havant & Waterlooville (loan)

| caps7 = 18

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2014

| clubs8 = → Welling United (loan)

| caps8 = 8

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2015–2017

| clubs9 = Oxford United

| caps9 = 23

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2017

| clubs10 = → Barnet (loan)

| caps10 = 4

| goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2017–2018

| clubs11 = FC Thalwil

| caps11 = 4

| goals11 = 0

| years12 = 2018–

| clubs12 = Vaduz

| caps12 = 184

| goals12 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2008–

| nationalteam1 = Liechtenstein

| nationalcaps1 = 72

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 4 November 2024

| ntupdate = 14:49, 27 March 2024 (UTC)

}}

Benjamin Büchel (born 4 July 1989) is a Liechtensteiner professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Swiss Challenge League club Vaduz, which he captains, and the Liechtenstein national team.{{soccerway|benjamin-buchel/40322|accessdate=19 June 2023}}{{soccerbase|32718}}

Club career

Born in Ruggell, Büchel spent his early career in Liechtenstein with FC Ruggell and USV Eschen/Mauren, as well as Swiss club FC Widnau.{{NFT player|pid=27477|accessdate=19 November 2014}}

He signed a six-month contract with English club Bournemouth in August 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19435149|title=Bournemouth sign Lorenzo Davids and Benjamin Buchel|date=31 August 2012|accessdate=19 November 2014|publisher=BBC Sport}} In doing so he became the second player from Liechtenstein to play in England (after Franz Burgmeier, who played for Darlington in the 2008–09 season), and only the fourth Liechtensteiner to play outside the country.{{Cite web |url=http://www.afcb.co.uk/news/article/2012-08-31-buchel-joins-cherries-345749.aspx |title=Büchel signs six month contract |last=Alex Smith |date=31 August 2012 |publisher=A.F.C. Bournemouth |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811030355/http://www.afcb.co.uk//news/article/2012-08-31-buchel-joins-cherries-345749.aspx |archive-date=11 August 2016 |url-status=dead |accessdate=19 November 2014}}

He signed a one-month loan deal with Dorchester Town in February 2013,{{Cite web|url=https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10232289.buchels-on-board-for-magpies/|title=Büchel's on board for Magpies|website=Dorset Echo|date=15 February 2013 |language=en|access-date=2 January 2019}} making three league appearances for the club.

In December 2013 he joined Southern Football League side Poole Town on loan until 18 January 2014,{{Cite web |url=http://www.afcb.co.uk/news/article/2013-12-17-buchel-joins-poole-town-on-loan-1241643.aspx |title=Buchel joins Poole Town on loan |date=17 December 2013 |publisher=A.F.C. Bournemouth |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217173658/http://www.afcb.co.uk/news/article/2013-12-17-buchel-joins-poole-town-on-loan-1241643.aspx |archive-date=17 December 2014 |url-status=dead |accessdate=19 November 2014}} making 6 league appearances for them.{{Cite web |url=http://www.pooletownfc.co.uk/20134-fixtures-and-results/ |title=2013/14 Fixtures And Results |publisher=Poole Town F.C. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712081829/http://www.pooletownfc.co.uk/20134-fixtures-and-results/ |archive-date=12 July 2017 |url-status=dead |accessdate=3 June 2015}}

In February 2014 he moved on loan to Havant & Waterlooville,{{cite web|url=http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/11010228.AFC_Bournemouth__Goalkeeper_Buchel_set_for_Havant___Waterlooville_loan/|title=AFC Bournemouth: Goalkeeper Buchel set for Havant & Waterlooville loan|date=13 February 2014|accessdate=19 November 2014|author=Neil Perrett|publisher=Bournemouth Echo}} where he made 18 league appearances.

In October 2014 he moved on loan to Welling United.

He was released by Bournemouth at the end of the 2014–15 season,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32611526|title=AFC Bournemouth: Ian Harte among seven leaving Cherries|date=6 May 2015|accessdate=12 May 2015|publisher=BBC Sport}} and joined Oxford United in September 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.oufc.co.uk/news/article/oxford-united-buchel-2668485.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904121130/http://www.oufc.co.uk/news/article/oxford-united-buchel-2668485.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 September 2015|title=Oxford United to Sign Benjamin Buchel|date=4 September 2015|accessdate=4 September 2015|publisher=Oxford United F.C.}} On 6 October 2015, he made his debut for Oxford United in a 2–0 win against close rivals Swindon Town in the Football League Trophy.{{Soccerbase season|id=32718|season=2015|access-date=2 January 2019}} He shared first-choice goalkeeping duties with Sam Slocombe for the 2015–16 season, both keepers making 23 League appearances,{{Cite web|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=1964&teamTabs=stats&season_id=145|title=Oxford FC Player Appearances {{!}} Past & Present {{!}} Soccer Base|website=www.soccerbase.com|access-date=2 January 2019}} but the appointment of Simon Eastwood meant he failed to make any appearances in the first half of the following season and he was told he was free to leave during the January transfer window.{{cite web |url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/sport/15018296.Benji_Buchel_free_to_leave_if_he_wants__says_Oxford_United_boss_Michael_Appleton/ |title=Benji Buchel free to leave if he wants, says Oxford United boss Michael Appleton |newspaper=Oxford Mail |first=David |last=Pritchard |date=12 January 2017 |accessdate=25 March 2017}}

Büchel joined Barnet on an emergency loan in March 2017 and was released by Oxford in May 2017,{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39166496 |title=Barnet sign Oxford's Benjamin Buchel and St Albans striker Sam Akinde |publisher=BBC Sport |date=4 March 2017 |accessdate=25 March 2017}} after the end of the 2016–17 season.{{Cite web |url=https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2017/may/retained-list/ |title=Retained List Update |date=17 May 2017 |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |accessdate=17 May 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39947412|title=Benjamin Buchel: Goalkeeper leaves Oxford United after arrival of Scott Shearer|date=17 May 2017|accessdate=18 May 2017|publisher=BBC Sport}}

International career

He made his international debut for Liechtenstein in 2008, as a substitute in a friendly against Slovakia.

In 2022, he was named Liechtenstein Footballer of the Year.{{Cite web |title=LFV Award 2022 |url=https://www.lfv.li/news?tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=1919&cHash=969671e94b10a29304119e361575c4ef |access-date=28 December 2022 |website=www.lfv.li |language=de-DE}} He won the award again in 2023,{{Cite web |date=2023-09-04 |title=Die Awards sind vergeben |url=https://www.lfv.li/news?tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=2102&cHash=27445f5f7fb1a5d852397882e0e4d846 |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=www.lfv.li |language=de-DE}} as well as 2024{{Cite web |date=2024-10-07 |title=Hattricks beim LFV Award |url=https://www.lfv.li/news?tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=2307&cHash=98e2d78b345439bb703702506bbfa875 |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=www.lfv.li |language=de-DE}}

Honours

USV Eschen/Mauren

Liechtenstein Cup winner: 2011–12{{Cite web |date=17 May 2012 |title=Eschen/Mauren pull off famous cup comeback |url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01fd-0f880bf87dfa-d3978c651dac-1000--eschen-mauren-pull-off-famous-cup-comeback/ |access-date=8 July 2024 |website=UEFA}}

Oxford United

Football League Trophy runner-up: 2015–16{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35906363 |title=Johnstone's Paint Trophy final: Barnsley 3–2 Oxford United |last=Cartwright |first=Phil |website=BBC Sport |date=3 April 2016 |access-date=13 March 2024}}

FC Vaduz

Liechtenstein Cup winner: 2021–22,{{Cite web |date=8 July 2024 |title=Match Report LFV |url=https://www.lfv.li/nationalmannschaften/spielbericht?cfc_league_fe%5BmatchId%5D=179719&cHash=5e9a8bd274b899e21fdad0a1b920b0d0 |access-date=8 July 2024 |website=LFV.li}} 2022–23,{{Cite web |date=8 July 2024 |title=Match Report LFV |url=https://www.lfv.li/nationalmannschaften/spielbericht?cfc_league_fe%5BmatchId%5D=181782&cHash=ad205cd78efca1508af39937a18716c8 |access-date=8 July 2024 |website=LFV.li}} 2023–24{{Cite web |date=8 July 2024 |title=Match Report LFV |url=https://www.lfv.li/nationalmannschaften/spielbericht?cfc_league_fe%5BmatchId%5D=188183&cHash=3c5fad970583f1746f655a5829174a96 |access-date=8 July 2024 |website=LFV.li}}

Individual

Liechtensteiner Footballer of the Year: 2022, 2023, 2024

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20200715054409/https://www.volksblatt.li/nachrichten/Liechtenstein/Vermischtes/vb/109131/very-british-benji Benjamin Büchel Interview]

Category:1989 births

Category:Living people

Category:Liechtenstein men's footballers

Category:Liechtenstein men's international footballers

Category:Men's association football goalkeepers

Category:FC Ruggell players

Category:USV Eschen/Mauren players

Category:AFC Bournemouth players

Category:Dorchester Town F.C. players

Category:Poole Town F.C. players

Category:Havant & Waterlooville F.C. players

Category:Welling United F.C. players