Sundhage Calls New Swiss Coaching Role a “Once in a Lifetime” Opportunity

Pia Sundhage has established her residence in Bern, one of the eight host cities for Euro 2025, stating her desire “to embrace and breathe the culture.” England is scheduled to compete against a team led by a highly experienced coach, an Olympic gold medalist, for the second occasion within a three-day period. This upcoming match features Pia Sundhage, whose prior international coaching roles include leading the United States, Sweden, and Brazil—nations recognized for their strong heritage in women’s football. Her current position at the helm of the Switzerland national team, which is ranked 25th globally and made its inaugural major tournament appearance in 2015, is perceived as somewhat unexpected. The magnitude of her challenge became evident when she witnessed the team’s 6-0 defeat by Germany on Friday, played before a record attendance of 17,306 spectators in Zurich. Despite this, the Swedish coach characterizes her current role, her fourth in international football, as a “once in a lifetime” opportunity, citing the chance to guide the host nation of next summer’s European Championship. “That kind of feeling when everybody’s coming together, that is unique,” she conveyed to BBC Sport. “So it was easy to say ‘yes’.” Sundhage possesses extensive experience, having achieved significant accomplishments both as a player and as a coach. During her career as a prolific striker, she was the leading scorer when Sweden secured the inaugural women’s Euros in 1984, became the first woman to score a goal at Wembley in 1989 during her country’s 2-0 victory over England, and concluded her playing career as Sweden’s all-time leading goalscorer with 71 goals. In her coaching career spanning over 30 years, she secured two Olympic gold medals with the United States and was a finalist in the 2011 Women’s World Cup. Additionally, she guided Sweden to the semi-finals of Euro 2013 and to their first Olympic medal, a silver, in 2016. However, at 64 years old, she opted not only to relocate from Brazil and commence learning German but also to assume leadership of a team that remains relatively inexperienced in international competitions. “I want to lead by example,” she states. “That means I do things that I’ve never done before.” She added, “I can’t take anything for granted. You don’t know [what is going to happen] the next day, the next week, and I’m very happy the fact that I’m still coaching because back then [when I first started out], we had few teams, few countries that developed women’s football.” As a significant observer of women’s football’s evolution over recent decades, she notes substantial changes in “the speed of play and organisation,” alongside the availability of contemporary tools to support her coaching. “Everything is developing so fast. So let’s say I step away from the game just for two years, if I come back I will be old, so you have to keep up with everything. So it’s easy to look forward to the next day.” In October, Ramona Bachmann and Naomi Luyet both scored goals when Switzerland defeated France. Sundhage’s choice to accept the Switzerland coaching position led her to reside in Bern, one of the eight host cities for Euro 2025, driven by her desire “to embrace and breathe the culture.” However, having assumed the role only in January, she faces numerous priorities, both within and outside of the sporting arena. “We have a short amount of time, but we try to get the most out of it every single day,” she further stated. She elaborated, “The biggest challenge is, I would say, mindset. In Switzerland we do have a lot of good players. We can compete, I think, at the highest level now.” “And we have proven that [against Australia and France]. At the same time it’s not only one game, it has to be consistently… believing that you’re a winner. That takes time. You have to push the right buttons and find the right player in the right place.” Switzerland achieved a 1-1 draw against Australia in October, subsequently securing a 2-1 victory over France, which ranks among the team’s most significant wins, prior to the substantial defeat by Germany on Friday, a match where injuries played a mitigating role. Having previously coached “winners” such as Marta, Alex Morgan, and Megan Rapinoe, Sundhage acknowledges that she is now managing players of a distinct caliber. Instead of merely adjusting a system, she describes her involvement with the team as a “journey,” emphasizing their need “to dream about [doing] something they’ve never done before.” Sarina Wiegman’s England team defeated Pia Sundhage’s Brazil side in a dramatic penalty shootout at Wembley in April 2023. This Tuesday, the Swiss team is set to compete against the reigning European champions, marking Sundhage’s first encounter with Sarina Wiegman since the Lionesses claimed victory in the inaugural women’s Finalissima against Sundhage’s Brazil team. Wiegman expressed considerable admiration for her counterpart ahead of this week’s match, stating at the pre-match media conference: “When I was a young player – she is a little older than I am – she was the best player in Sweden at the time and we were all really looking up to her. That was my first experience with her.” She continued, “She has been all over the world to coach. She is so positive and creative and has made a difference in the women’s game. I have a lot of respect for her.” Following this week’s international fixtures, Switzerland’s subsequent major event is the December draw for Euro 2025. While the excitement surrounding the tournament in the host nation remains subdued, Sundhage indicates she can “feel it a little bit” and anticipates a gradual increase in enthusiasm. Sundhage remarked, “When [people] recognise me at the train station or wherever, I know that they recognise women’s football here in Switzerland. That is important, and I know it will get better and better.” Regarding next summer’s tournament, when asked about a successful outcome for Switzerland, she stated: “We are determined that we’re going to advance from the group – and then you never know what will happen.”