Aussie Olympian Criticizes Media Coverage of Swiss Women’s Team’s Recent Loss to Under-15 Boys

Chloe Dalton, an Olympic athlete from Australia, voiced her frustrations over the recent media attention surrounding the Swiss women’s football team after they suffered a heavy 7-1 defeat to an under-15 boys team in a warm-up match ahead of the European Championship.

The Swiss team faced the youth side FC Luzern in their preparations for Euro 2025, marking their second such loss after previously falling 2-1 to FC Solothurn. Footage of the game circulated widely on social media, gaining around 70,000 views on TikTok before being removed.

Despite the secondary nature of the squad—missing several key players—Dalton emphasized that such results should not be sensationalized. She argued that the focus should be on their training and development rather than perceived mismatches.

“If they beat an under-15 boys team, it’s not a news story,” Dalton said. “Women’s sports should be respected and celebrated on their own merit without constant comparison to men’s sports.” She highlighted that her sport is about high-performance effort and growth, not direct competition with male athletes.

Switzerland’s football spokesperson explained that competing against youth teams is a common practice to incorporate a competitive element and prepare the team physically for upcoming international tournaments. These training matches mimic the intensity of official games.

Prominent player Alisha Lehmann, known as the ‘world’s sexiest footballer,’ was part of the squad during the loss. She expressed excitement about representing Switzerland in the Euros, despite only joining the team last-minute due to injuries among teammates.

Switzerland’s women’s team will open their Euro campaign against Norway, aiming to improve on their previous performance where they earned just one point from three matches. They will also face Finland and Iceland in their group matches.