Swiss Olympic Skiing Legend Lara Gut-Behrami to Retire After 2026 Games
Swiss alpine skiing legend Lara Gut-Behrami, 34, has announced she will retire from professional skiing after the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
“I certainly won’t be a cleaning lady,” Gut-Behrami said at an event in Zurich, where she revealed her plans to move to England next year with her husband, former Switzerland football international Valon Behrami, who will assume a boardroom role at Watford FC, a Championship club near London.
Gut-Behrami, a two-time overall World Cup champion, is no stranger to Cortina d’Ampezzo, where she hopes to bow out in style next year. In 2021, she won the super-G and giant slalom gold medals at the world championships there, along with a bronze in the downhill. She also ended her 2024-25 season with two World Cup wins in Sun Valley, USA, winning both the super-G and giant slalom.
That extended her record to 48 World Cup wins and 100 podiums. She won the overall titles in 2015-16 and 2023-24, and was second for the third time last season. Gut-Behrami won super-G gold and giant slalom bronze at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, adding to her downhill bronze from the 2014 Games in Sochi. “I’m not done yet,” she said at the time. “I still want to win more medals.”
FAQ: What’s next for Lara Gut-Behrami after retirement?
- After retirement, Gut-Behrami plans to move to England with her husband.
- She has not disclosed any specific plans regarding her future career, but mentioned she won’t be a “cleaning lady.”
- She may pursue other interests or take up new opportunities, potentially in the sports industry or beyond.
Did you know?
- Lara Gut-Behrami is the most successful Swiss skier of all time, with 48 World Cup wins and 100 podiums.
- She is a two-time Olympic champion, winning gold in super-G at both Sochi 2014 and Beijing 2022.
- Her husband, Valon Behrami, is a former Switzerland football international and will work for Watford FC.
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