Photographer captures Fribourg's hockey championship dream in new book

For forty years, HC Fribourg-Gottéron chased the Swiss championship title, a quest deeply ingrained in the identity of the Fribourg region, where the hockey club is described as akin to a religion. Despite decades of near misses, the team's supporters maintained an almost mystical fervor.

Photographer Adrien Perritaz has now immortalized this long-awaited victory in his new book, "Magnificent Winners." The publication chronicles the 2025-2026 championship season through images captured over more than a decade. Perritaz's lens focused not only on the on-ice action but also on the passionate atmosphere in the stands, the raw emotion in the locker rooms, and the unwavering dedication of the fans.

Perritaz, who began photographing Gottéron at age 15 or 16, describes his early work as "quite classic sports images." His book, however, goes beyond traditional sports photography. It delves into the "beautiful losers" narrative that had long defined the club, culminating in the "magnificent winners" they became. The "Dragons," as the Fribourg players are known, are depicted in armor-like gear, evoking medieval jousters, a visual metaphor for their tenacious fight for the title.

“

I started taking my first photos of Gottéron, I was 15 or 16 years old. They were quite classic sports images.