Swiss goalkeeper Roman Bürki comes from a family deeply rooted in sports, particularly football. His father, Martin Bürki, was a goalkeeper himself and made it his mission to nurture a football family, hoping his children would carry on his dreams. Roman followed in his father’s footsteps, and while he may not be as universally known as the likes of Manuel Neuer, his talent has earned him a place among the best in the world. Bleacher Report even once compared him to the renowned David de Gea, recognizing Bürki as one of the hottest goalkeepers in modern football.
Father’s Legacy Continues: Roman Bürki’s Rise to Global Football Fame
But beyond the pitch, Roman Bürki’s story is one of dedication, passion, and resilience. This biography takes a deep dive into his life, offering insights not only into his career highs but also into his personal journey. We’ll explore his early childhood, growing up under the watchful eye of his father, Martin, and his mother, Karin Bürki. You’ll also get a glimpse of his personal life, including his relationship with Marlen Valderrama-Alvaréz, his lifestyle, and the qualities that define him as a person.
This isn’t just a story about goalkeeping—it’s the complete narrative of Roman Bürki’s rise from his early years to becoming a football star. From family life to football fame, Bürki’s journey is an inspiring one, and indeed, the son of Martin Bürki has come a long way in both life and his professional career.
The Untold Biography of Roman Burki – from his childhood years to the moment he achieved fame in the beautiful game.
Roman Burki Childhood Story:
For biography starters, his nickname is “Hot Goalie“, though he never calls himself that. The Swiss Goalkeeper was born on the 14th day of November 1990 to his mother, Karin Burki and father, Martin Burki, in Münsingen- a municipality in Switzerland.
Little Roman came to the world as the first son and child born out of the successful union between his loving parents. The goalie grew up alongside his little brother, who goes by the name Marco Bürki. Both brothers, with an age difference of three years, have been best friends right from day one.
As a first child and son with a little brother, little Roman had in him a great sense of responsibility. From the onset, he began playing the big brother role. Indeed, looking after Marco was his first responsibility as an elder sibling.
As time went on, the future stopper began warming up to follow the Burki family trade. What is that?… This responsibility is no other than learning from his dad’s footballing footsteps, which we’ll tell you in the later sections of this biography.
Roman Burki Family Background:
Thanks to the head of the household (Martin), the destiny of his children was secured as early as possible. Did you know?… the Swiss Goalkeeper (Roman Burki) comes from a sporting family background. His father, Martin Burkii, was a goalkeeper, and his mother was a homemaker.
Meet Martin and Karin. They are Roman Burki’s Parents.
Both of Roman Burki’s parents operated in a middle-class household. Thanks to a low cost of living, they never struggled with money. In fact, the family of Martin and Karin were among Münsingen’s 12,000 inhabitants who lived in one of those beautiful Swiss peripheral neighbourhoods.
Family Life:
From the first moments in his life, Roman Burki has relied on his mum and dad, even his little brother, Marco, for support.
Pictured below is his close-knit family as they enjoy a shot in their Swiss home- where everything began.
Roman Burki Family Life. The close-knit household enjoys a picture snap in their home- a place where everything (success) began. In this emotional section, we’ll tell you more about Roman Burki’s parents as well as his family members. Now, let’s start with his dad, Martin.
About Roman Burki’s Father:
According to the Swiss, his dad Martin gave him the greatest gift anyone would ever give a son or loved one. This gift is nothing more than the act of believing in him, especially at a time when he nearly gave up the quest to become a professional goalkeeper.
Without Roman Burki’s Dad- Martin, a career wouldn’t have been possible. He appears to be very close to his son. Martin is the kind of father who, despite his son being successful, still makes telephone calls to analyse the grey areas of his games.
About Roman Burki’s Mum:
There is a saying that great mothers have produced successful sons, and Roman’s Mum, Karin, isn’t an exception. Roman hardly talks about his mum, though he never forgets to post pictures of her during Mother’s day. Karin Burki makes up his best childhood memory, thanks to the great maternal care she gave him while he was a child.
Young Roman Burki and his Mum.
About Roman Burki’s Brother:
Marco Bürki, born on the 10th day of July 1993, is also a Swiss footballer who plays as a left-footed centre-back. As I write this bio, the last born of the Bürki family plays his football at FC Luzern, a sports club located in the Swiss city of Lucerne.
Marco is Roman Burki’s Brother.
Unlike his big brother, Marco Burki is not that popular; neither is he the breadwinner of the family. Nevertheless, following the footsteps of his dad and big bro, Roman has made him successful. Just like Roman, Marco also joined Young Boys and went as far as winning the 2017/2018 Super League with the club.
Roman Burki Family Origin:
To the average football fan, the Goalkeeper comes from Switzerland. Some fans probably have no idea that Roman Burki’s family hails from Münsingen, a municipality located in Switzerland. Note that this is not to be confused with a German town, also called Münsingen.
This map shows the location of Roman Burki Family Origin.
From the map below, you’ll realize Münsingen belongs to the German-speaking region of Switzerland. It’s fair to say that Roman Burki is a Swiss-German, and his parents possess the Alemannic dialect. People from this language group have German family roots and ancestry.
Roman Burki Early Years- Education and Career Buildup:
Münsingen was where everything relating to his destiny started. As a former goalkeeper, it was hard for Martin Burki to deal with retirement from football.
Early on, the super dad had hoped to see his sons, starting with his first (Roman), aspiring to live the Burki family dreams- becoming a professional and successful footballer.
Upon hanging his boots, Martin Burki took it upon himself to prepare his sons for the future.
The foresight dad, in the year 1999, enrolled little Roman with FC Münsingen (a local club located close to the family home). There, the future BVB star laid his goalkeeping foundation.
Roman Burki Biography – Early Career Life:
Around 2005, Switzerland head coach Köbi Kuhn qualified the country for the 2006 World Cup for the first time since 1994.
Everyone, including Roman Burkii’s family, was excited about the future of football in the country.
The national football potential of Switzerland, among other things, ignited Martin to enrol his son for trials in a more prominent academy. Despite the optimism, things didn’t go earlier as planned for his son- the young goalkeeper.
The Early Failures:
Roman Burki had to deal with several disappointments during his early youth career years. The quest to proceed to more significant academies didn’t go through, no thanks to failed football trials.
Among the clubs which failed him, the one that caused so much sadness was FC Thun, a Swiss football team from the Bernese Oberland town of Thun.
Suffering from Mental Health and how his Dad saved his Young Career:
We football fans wouldn’t be seeing him in a BVB shirt if his dad hadn’t intervened by hiring a mental coach who helped him clear his mind from the stresses of academy football rejections.
The truth is that Burki suffered from mental health, and his dad saved his young career. This decision made by Roman Burki’s parents to hire a mental coach kept the family’s dreams alive. This feat brought hope- a call from BSC Young Boys (a top Swiss sports club based in Bern), who invited the young goalkeeper for trials.
Road to Fame Story:
Did you know?… Two hours before the future goalie took his trial with BSC Young Boys, our very own Roman turned to his father, who had driven him to the club’s testing ground and said, according to Eurosport.
Dad,…No, I’m not going to join Young Boys.
Why are you saying NO? …asked his dad, Martin.
Bürki told his dad that his earlier rejection at FC Thun had discouraged him, making him too unsettled to continue a career. Hence, he gave Young Boys a denial and was almost giving up on football.
Thankfully, it took the joint effort of Roman Burki’s parents and other loved ones to settle the young lad’s mind before he decided to proceed with trials at Young Boys.
Roman Burki Bio – Rise to Fame Story:
To the joy of family and friends, the little goalkeeper passed Young Boys trials with flying colours.
From 2005 to 2008, Bürki was at their academy. He graduated in 2009 and immediately joined the senior team, where he began making lots of sacrifices.
How he became Successful:
Proceeding on loan and a further transfer to Grasshopper (another big Swiss club) was the best early decision Roman made.
However, his biggest club football accomplishment in Switzerland was helping his Grasshopper team win the Swiss Cup in 2013.
To assist his team in achieving success, Burki had to play with a broken rib and strained abdominal muscle.
This feat led to a German transfer. At this time, Roman left his country, parents, and family members for the first time to go to Germany, where he joined SC Freiburg.
A year later, in 2014, Thomas Tuchel called him to Borussia Dortmund, where he would go on to play with the likes of Matt Hummels (CB), Matthias Ginter (CB), Ilkay Gundogan (CM), Christian Pulisic (RW), Jadon Sancho (RW). At the time of putting up Roman Bürki’s biography, he, a German DFB Cup winner, enjoys his goalkeeping trade in the United States with the MLS.
The rest, as we often say, is now history.
Roman Burki Love Life:
First and foremost, there is no denying the fact that his cute looks wouldn’t attract ladies who would tag themselves as potential girlfriends and wife materials.
Judging from the photo below, you’ll tend to acknowledge his nickname- Hot Goalie. In this section, we’ll give you a breakdown of Roman Burki’s love life.
When asked about his idea for his dream woman, girlfriend or wife, Roman Burki said the following, according to Schweizer-illustrate.
I don’t prefer a particular type, but she should have a hearty face, because the look is of course what first catches your eye and arouses interest.
I want someone who is interested in me as a person and not just as a footballer.
Dating History:
First, the Goalkeeper began having relationships sometime around 2010. He started by dating Nastassja Beutler, who appears to be his first girlfriend and childhood sweetheart.
The two met and fell in love with each other at the driving school in Bern, Switzerland.
After Bürki’s move to BVB, problems began between the two love birds, no thanks to a long-distance relationship. Sadly, Roman Bürki separated from his model girlfriend around 2016 (according to Sten report).
As I write this Bio, rumours have it that after moving on, the cute Goalkeeper went on to date a model and blogger named Chiara Bransi- his second girlfriend.
However, during this time of producing Roman Burki’s biography, Mr Handsome is currently enjoying a relationship with a German beauty who goes by the name Marlen Valderrama-Alvaréz.
From all indications, it appears Marlen is likely to become Roman Burki’s wife and mother of his kids. The beautiful lady comes from Southern Germany, and she is a fitness person who shares her workout videos on Instagram.
Marlen Valderrama-Alvaréz appears to be very close to Cathy, who is Matt Hummels‘ wife. Also, Melanie Windler is Manuel Akanji‘s heart robe.
Personal Life:
Yes, you’ve probably known him for his handsomeness and those on-pitch dazzling displays.
However, what you might not know is the way Roman lives his life outside of football or his personality off the pitch.
First and foremost, the goalkeeper has a soft side for animals, even though he looks very tough on the goalpost. He once stated the following in an interview.
When I read about the death of the bear in the animal park in Bern, it hurt me deeply. Also, the world nearly collapse for me when one of my parents’ cats had died.
Like some animal-loving footballers, The BVB goalkeeper has a little dog whom he calls Cliff. If he is not reading books and listening to podcasts, Roman is likely to be with his dog.
About his Cute/Handsome Looks:
Without a doubt, the Swiss is the most handsome goalkeeper of his generation. Also, in his personal life, Roman Burki takes seriously, his appearance whether in a shoot or each time he leaves his home. In his words,
I want to look decent when I am in public. Before I leave the house, I look in the mirror. But this is probably the case with every footballer these days.
Football Retirement Plans:
Lastly, in Burki’s personal life, the Swiss loves the idea of going into the real estate business when he hangs up his boots. Roman Burki prefers Mats Hummels to be his perfect business partner.
Roman Burki Lifestyle:
A BVB monthly wage of €200,000 and a base salary of €2.77 million is more than enough to make the Goalkeeper live a luxurious life. To explain Roman Burki’s lifestyle, we’ll only tell you about his cars and net worth. Now, let’s get started with his automobiles.
Roman Burki’s Cars:
The truth is, the Swiss have a soft spot for cool and big wheels. Roman Burki prefers dressing to match his Mercedes Benz G-Class luxury SUVs. The choice of car depends on his dress mode, and each automobile has his initials and date of birth on its nameplates.
Roman Burki Facts:
Yes, you’ve probably known the Swiss as that handsome and stylish goalkeeper who once helped BVB put up a title challenge against Bayern Munich. In this section, we’ll tell you some little-known Roman Burki Facts. Now, let’s begin.
He was a Victim of a BVB Bus attack- The man responsible got 14 Years:
The arrest of Sergei Wenergold.
Around 2017, Sergei Wenergold did the unthinkable. The German of Russian family origin hid bombs packed with metal pins to cause terror to BVB players.
Sadly, the roadside bomb went off as the club bus, which had Roman Burki, at the time he was on his way to a Champions League quarter-final match.
Although no life was lost, there were two injuries. Roman Burki suffered from sleeping problems for days after the explosion. We thank God for his recovery.
The reason behind Roman Burki’s Tattoos:
Roman Burki has got some interesting Tattoos.
The Swiss have got lots of beautiful Tattoos, which contributes to his handsomeness. Even without careful observation, you’ll realize his toned body has many body arts. Roman Burki once said these when being asked why he is so keen on tattoos. In his words,
I am into tattoos because going on the pitch; we have to take off all the rings and necklaces. My body arts are my jewellery.
Back then, as a young teenager, Roman Burki’s parents granted him approvals for his early drawings.
These days, as an adult, he doesn’t ask for their opinion. The Swiss footballer hopes to remove some of his tattoos when a painless technology emerges – which he thinks will come in the future.
Roman Burki’s Religion:
Among his tattoos, there are Mary and Jesus on his forearm. This points to the fact that Roman Burki’s parents had probably raised him in adherence to the Catholic faith of Christianity religion.
The Swiss once responded when asked if he goes to church weekly. In his words,
I don’t go to church every week. But I believe in certain principles, especially one that says you should treat others the way you want to be treated. Also, the fact that there is a reward for doing good.
Did you know?… The average German who earns 3,770 euros a month would need to work for at least five years and one month to make Burki’s BVB monthly salary of €230,434 (2019 stats).
Secondly, where Roman’s Burkii family comes from (Switzerland), the average citizen who earns 6,502 CHF would need to work for three years and one month to make his monthly salary, which is equivalent to 245,341 CHF.
Conclusion:
In summary, we’ve learned that Roman Burki’s parents (especially his dad) are the sole reason for his success today. Stay tuned for more Biography stories on Swiss Footballers. Surely, the Life History of Noah Okafor and Ruben Vargas will excite you.
This article teaches us that Winners never Quit, and Quitters never Win. We hope you’ve enjoyed it. If you have, kindly tell us what you think about our article and the goalkeeper in the comment section.
