Under the stewardship of coach Paul Wolfisberg, Switzerland set out on their 1982 World Cup qualifying campaign eager to earn a place at an international tournament for the first time since 1966. Two of the most celebrated players in the nation´s history, midfielder Heinz Hermann and central defender Alain Geiger, were vital members of this team but despite the best efforts of them and other notable players like forward Claudio Sulser, the Swiss fell short of achieving their ambition.A tough and ultimately close-fought group featuring Hungary, England, Romania and Norway saw the Swiss finish in fourth place with just the top two progressing - this despite a famous 2-1 home win over England.