Career
Balmer started his youth football with his local team in Thun. He played as Striker (right winger) for Football Club Thun between 1964 and 1968. In the Swiss Cup Final in 1975 Balmer scored the winning goal five minutes before the end of overtime.
Between the years 1969 and 1973 Balmer played a total twenty games for the Swiss National team in which he scored two goals.
On 28 June 1976 Balmer (aged just 28 years) retired from his semi-professional football career and from then on he worked as a teacher in the Gymnasium in Interlaken and also as a sport journalist.
