Hakan Yakin
A Swiss midfield magician whose vision and technical flair made him a fan favorite and a key architect for the national team.
Born 1977 (age 49)·Swiss footballer·Birthday: February 22·Generation X
Biography
Hakan Yakin's career was a love letter to Swiss football, defined by moments of pure, unpredictable genius. Operating as an attacking midfielder or second striker, he was less a relentless athlete and more a chess player with a devastating left foot. His club journey was largely a tour of Swiss powerhouses—Grasshopper, Basel, Young Boys—where his creativity and knack for spectacular goals cemented his legacy. While a brief stint in Paris Saint-Germain didn't stick, his true stage was the Swiss national team. For over a decade, he was the inventive heartbeat in midfield, contributing crucial goals and assists. His peak coincided with Switzerland's rise as a consistent tournament qualifier. Today, as a coach, he imparts the same footballing intelligence he displayed on the pitch.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Hakan was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hakan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Hakan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned 87 caps for the Swiss national team, scoring 20 goals between 2000 and 2011.
- Won multiple Swiss Super League titles, notably with FC Basel in the early 2000s.
- Scored a memorable hat-trick against Switzerland's rivals, Turkey, in a 2006 World Cup qualifier.
- Named Swiss Footballer of the Year in 2003.
Did You Know?
His older brother, Murat Yakin, was also a Swiss international and later managed the national team.
He holds Swiss and Turkish citizenship.
He scored directly from a corner kick in a UEFA Cup match for FC Basel in 2002.
After retiring, he earned a UEFA Pro coaching license.
“My game was about seeing the pass others didn't see.”
