Pia Sundhage has been the Swiss national coach for a year and a half. For the 65-year-old, the European Championship in her own country is a great incentive for the job in the SFA.
20.06.2025, 05:00
20.06.2025, 07:07
SDA
In an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency, the Swede talks about her childhood in southern Sweden and her early fascination with Liverpool FC. She talks about how she was only allowed to play football at all thanks to a cheat by a coach. And the passionate singer reveals when she leaves her comfort zone and why she has never had to be as patient as in Switzerland in any of her previous coaching positions.
Pia Sundhage, how did you actually get into football?
"I grew up in the small village of Marbäck in southern Sweden, where only about 250 people lived. And nobody was interested in football. Except me. At that time, there were fixed ideas. Only boys should be allowed to kick a ball, girls should throw it. But I found that boring, so I kicked it too. That was great fun for me. My parents gave me a ball, which I kicked against the garage door at home. Sometimes a pane would break, but my parents always supported me and my five siblings - even though we are very different."
But you didn't become a Swedish international just by kicking against the garage door.
"No. A junior coach came up to me once and asked if I wanted to play a real game of football, with goals, nets, kits and a referee. I said of course, and he replied: "Then you'll have to cheat a bit."
In what way?
"We changed my name. The girl Pia became the boy Pelle. After a while, I had the feeling that people were calling me 'Pelé'" (laughs).
What was that like for you?
"I was always different from the other kids, but it's okay to be different. It's okay not to do the same as all the other girls. I was looked at as a boy and I didn't care. Because my best friend was always football."
Did you always have to hide your femininity?
"At school, the boys once told the teachers that I played football. I didn't have the courage to say anything. I was always very shy. It was only football that made me more outgoing. Then the teachers asked me if I would like to play football with the boys for 40 minutes instead of doing gymnastics. I thought that was fantastic. Then I used to ride my bike to the neighboring village and play football. When I was 11, I played in a women's team for the first time. The jersey was blue and white."
Did you follow football in any other way, or did you just play yourself?
"There were two channels on TV back then. Channel 1 and Channel 2, both in black and white. We couldn't afford a color TV. The England games were broadcast every Saturday at 4pm. So I always sat in front of the screen, and even though the picture quality was poor, I went along with it."
Did you particularly like watching one team?
"I was a big Liverpool fan as a child. I don't know why either." (laughs)
In 1984, you won the first ever European Women's Championship with Sweden. In the second leg of the final against England in Luton, there were around 2,500 fans in the stadium when you converted the decisive penalty. Now the tournament is coming up in Switzerland. Many games will be sold out. Did you think women's football would develop like this?
"We all fought for it. When I was 13 and said I wanted to be a professional footballer, I was told: 'Do you know you're a girl? So I'm pleased that we're at a different point today. Back then, we had to go to training at 9pm because the pitch was full before then. Today, many players can be professionals and can work on their skills every day with coaches. And the 1984 final would never happen again today. The court was so difficult to play on. But we didn't care back then because we were happy to be able to compete."
Was there actually a big reception in Stockholm after your European Championship title? "Someone from the federation was there and congratulated us, but there wasn't much more. But there were two pages about us in a newspaper. Two pages, even with a picture. At first we thought they were making fun of us, but they really did write about us."
When you joined the SFA as the new national team coach at the start of 2024, the headlines in the newspapers were also pretty big. It came as a surprise to many that a coach with your reputation, who has coached the USA, Sweden and Brazil, among others, and won Olympic gold twice, would take over little Switzerland.
"As a national coach, you have the privilege of being able to select the best players in a country. That's really cool. The job is the same everywhere, but the culture and attitudes of the people are completely different. Working in different countries and cultures has made me more open-minded and cosmopolitan. What works in the USA doesn't necessarily have to work in Sweden, and what is understood in China might only trigger questioning looks in Brazil. I am very grateful for these experiences."
What observations have you made in one and a half years in Switzerland?
"At the beginning, I thought Switzerland would be similar to Sweden. Now I can say: it's not." (laughs)
Why is that?
"Let me give you an example: If you want to do something in Switzerland, you first have to fill out three documents. Then there are two meetings, and maybe a conference call at the end. So it's often a lengthy process from the idea to the point at which a decision is made. When I was in Brazil, I thought I had to be patient. In Switzerland, it's another level. (laughs) But that's understandable, because the Swiss don't want to make a mistake."
Do you also notice this trait on the football pitch?
"When I started in Switzerland, I tried to find out what makes Swiss players special. But it wasn't so easy to add suitable keywords to the slide on which I had written 'Swiss identity'."
Because of a widespread Swiss characteristic: reserve?
"Exactly. I asked the players what distinguishes them physically, mentally, technically and tactically, and it turned out that Swiss players are good in all areas, but not outstanding in any of them."
And?
"I found that interesting. In the USA, I was in an environment where everyone was convinced they were the best and wanted to be the best - and if they weren't yet the best in the world in one area, they would keep going until they were. And the Brazilians danced a lot and always found a way to be cheerful - no matter what was happening on the field. The Swiss are much more reserved and correct."
How do you deal with that?
"I try to convey to the players that they need to feel comfortable taking risks, stepping out of their comfort zone and making mistakes. The biggest mistake you can make is not even trying. We have slides on the staff that say: 'Try it', 'Two more steps' or 'You're fighting'". If players only ever do what they're already good at, they'll never find out how good they are. Instilling this courage is probably one of the biggest challenges for me as a coach."
When do you step out of your comfort zone?
"When I'm singing." (laughs)
But you are a passionate singer, aren't you?
"Yes, but not when I have to sing in German. I once sang 'Ein bisschen Frieden' by Nicole to the team. I had my cell phone like this (holds my hand very close to my face) so that I could read the lyrics. Was I comfortable with that? Absolutely not. It was scary. And my assistant coaches just asked me, 'What the hell are you doing? Have you gone crazy?' But that's what it's all about. This discomfort is part of it, and we have the chance to get the best out of it every day."
The tension will probably also be palpable among the players on July 2, when Switzerland host Norway in a sold-out St. Jakob-Park in their European Championship opener. Their team is without a win in eight games. The pressure will be on even before kick-off.
"The legendary US striker Abby Wambach used to say: 'It's a privilege to play under pressure. If it was easy, anyone could be an Olympic champion. So it has to be difficult."
Doesn't the winless streak worry you at all?
"We're not scoring goals. That is a problem. We don't have any real scorers in the team. But I think we have ten players who have scored two goals. You can either look at it like we don't have a player who scores a lot of goals or that we have a balanced team in which many players can score. There are always several perspectives."
What kind of opening game would you like to see?
"In 2013, I was already part of a home European Championship as Sweden's coach. One of the best moments was on the way to the stadium when I saw how many people wanted to be there for the game. Swedish and Danish fans were celebrating together peacefully. I hope to see not only Swiss but also Norwegian flags in Basel. It's about more than just winning. It's about creating an unforgettable event together. It's also a lot of pressure, yes. But it will be wonderful."
