Former football manager Dany Ryser has received the Swiss Olympic Lifetime Coach Award ©Swiss Olympic

Former football manager Dany Ryser, who guided Switzerland to success at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2009, has been honoured at the fourth edition of the Swiss Olympic Coach Awards in Ittigen.

Ryser, who recently retired from the Swiss Football Association (SFV), won the "Swiss Olympic Lifetime Coach Award".

This accolade is awarded annually by the Swiss Olympic Association to a coach that has distinguished himself during his or her career in Swiss sport with "exemplary commitment and exceptional achievements".

Switzerland beat hosts Nigeria 1-0 in the Under-17 final six years ago thanks to a goal from Haris Seferović, who has gone on to become a full international. 

"After 17 years of work for the SFV and winning the Under-17 World Championship title this award for Dany Ryser is more than deserved," said Ralph Stöckli, jury member and head of competitive sports at the Swiss Olympic Association.

"Swiss football owes him a lot."

The winners show off their prizes at the Swiss Olympic Coach Awards
The winners show off their prizes at the Swiss Olympic Coach Awards ©Swiss Olympic

Also recognised at the ceremony were Swiss Athletics’ Adrian Rothenbühler and the Swiss Ice Hockey Association’s Manuele Celio, who won the junior individual sports coach and youth team sports coach prizes respectively.

The winners are due to receive CHF 5,000 (£3,200/$4,900/€4,600) from the Swiss Olympic Association in recognition of their work.

Meanwhile, a special award went to Michael Vogt, a long-term employee of Swiss-Ski who died earlier this year after a long illness.