Swiss football team drops Richi anthem after family's vocal protest
The Swiss national football team, known as die Nati, will stop using the song Richi by Stubete Gäng as their goal celebration anthem. The decision follows criticism of the track and a request from the family of Hermann Schönbächler, whose voice features in the original version.
The band has confirmed they will re-record the song without his vocals, though no release date has been set. Controversy around Richi grew after Hermann Schönbächler's appearance on the SRF programme Auf und davon, where he criticised the song. His family later asked for his voice to be removed from the recording. Stubete Gäng responded by announcing plans to replace the current version.
The band has stated they respect the Schönbächler family's wishes. Meanwhile, die Nati has never officially adopted Richi for celebrations or events, despite its popularity among fans. Work on a new team anthem is already in progress, with details expected to be revealed at a later date.
Stubete Gäng addressed the situation directly, acknowledging the debate but offering no further comment on the timeline for the updated track. The Swiss national team will now move forward without Richi as their goal anthem. A replacement song is being prepared, though no specific details have been shared yet. Stubete Gäng's revised version of Richi will also arrive without Hermann Schönbächler's contribution, marking the end of the current controversy.
