For a canton better known for its mountains than its footballers, something quietly significant is happening in Graubünden. Chur’s rise through the Swiss pyramid has been well documented, but beneath the headlines of promotions and tactical intrigue, a subtler story is beginning to take shape: locally born players, forged in a still-young academy system, are starting to earn recognition beyond club level.

This is not yet a region producing senior internationals, and realistically it may be some time before that milestone is reached. But with the November international break approaching, four Chur-developed players have taken important first steps into national setups, underlining both the club’s growing credibility and the depth of talent emerging from a traditionally overlooked corner of Swiss football.

Nelio Cortesi is perhaps the clearest example of how strategic loans are accelerating development. Now 18, the versatile defender-midfielder is enjoying a breakout campaign with Wohlen, the second-tier surprise package chasing back-to-back promotions. Comfortable operating either at full-back or in central midfield, Cortesi has transitioned seamlessly from academy prospect to reliable senior performer. After making ten appearances for Chur across the previous two seasons, his move has given him weekly exposure and responsibility – and the reward is a first call-up to the U20 Elite League. It feels like the beginning rather than the destination.

Mario Silva’s trajectory has been steeper still. The 18-year-old winger played a meaningful role in Chur’s promotion run-in last season before remaining in the second tier with Vaduz, where he has continued to impress. Seven goals in eighteen appearances last year and several contributions this year represent not just productivity, but adaptability – Silva has shown he can cope with the physicality and tempo of senior football while still expressing himself in the final third. His brace in the match that effectively sealed Chur’s title remains a defining moment. The Swiss FA’s decision to call him up is also a strategic one: with Portuguese heritage through his father, Silva is now firmly on Switzerland’s radar as they look to secure his international future.

Few young players have experienced as much movement as Jonathan Carames in such a short time. After a productive loan spell at Wil last season, he stepped up to Schaffhausen, where despite relegation his individual development continued. Returning briefly to Chur, Carames made an immediate impact – one goal and three assists in five appearances – before moving back to Wil in the third tier, a club he openly considers a footballing home. With Wil sitting second in the division behind another Graubünden success story in Ems, Carames is once again central to a promotion push. His form has not gone unnoticed, earning him a deserved first international call-up and reinforcing the sense that his career is gaining momentum rather than being derailed by constant change.

The most symbolic call-up, however, belongs to Guiliano Graf. A Chur native through and through, Graf’s inclusion in the U21 squad marks a landmark moment for both player and club. Once a fourth-tier debutant, he has developed into one of the most reliable centre-backs at Challenge League level, combining recovery pace with an increasingly refined reading of the game. Trusted with the captain’s armband at times last season, his leadership qualities are evident even if others – Xabier Iriondo and fellow academy graduate Marvin Hodler – currently carry that responsibility more regularly. For Graf, this recognition feels like validation of years of steady, unspectacular progress – the kind that builds careers.

Individually, these call-ups matter. Collectively, they signal something larger. Chur’s academy is no longer just feeding the first team; it is beginning to place Graubünden-born players on a national pathway. For a region still finding its footballing identity, that may be the most important breakthrough of all