Pia Sundhage is amazed, laughs, sings a song and talks about her experiences. What a difference a few photos can make.
As a player, Pia Sundhage wins four championship titles in Sweden (1979, 1981, 1984, 1989) and becomes European champion in 1984. It was she who scored the all-important penalty in the second leg of the final against England. "It had nothing to do with football, it was just mud," she remembers. Nevertheless, the party afterwards remains unforgettable.
1981: Pia Sundhage (right) is voted Sweden's best female footballer. Pictured left: Jeanette Öhlund, one of the captains of the Swedish national team, and Anette Börjesson (center).
Image: Imago
1984: Pia Sundhage celebrates after scoring the all-important penalty in the European Championship final against England.
Image: Imago
1987: The Swedish women's national football team records a single with two fight songs for the European Championship in Norway. Sweden made it to the final, where they lost 2-1 to the hosts.
Image: Imago
From 2008 to 2012, Sundhage was coach of the US team, winning the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and leading the team to the 2011 World Championship runner-up title. She coached world stars such as Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan.
Image: Imago
2013: Pia Sundhage is named the best female coach in the world. To her right: world footballer Lionel Messi, then FIFA President Sepp Blatter and world footballer Abby Wambach.
Image: Imago
2013: Pia Sundhage was coach of the home team at the European Championships in Sweden. The journey ended in the semi-finals.
Image: Imago
2021: Sundhage has a completely new experience as Brazil's national coach. When she remembers Marta, a multiple world cup winner, the first thing that comes to mind is her musical skills.
Image: Keystone
2024: Pia Sundhage becomes Switzerland's coach and meets her players in Marbella. It's always a very special moment.
Image: Keystone
2024: Switzerland beat Poland 4:1 on Sundhage's debut and she and Alisha Lehmann are beaming. What surprises her is what she talked to her about when they met: "Cats, dogs, cows and so on. That was actually pretty cool."
Image: Keystone
2012: Pia Sundhage plays the guitar in her summer house in Sweden. An important retreat for her to this day: "I need these moments when I'm not in competition mode."
Image: Imago
1981: Pia Sundhage (right) is voted Sweden's best female footballer. Pictured left: Jeanette Öhlund, one of the captains of the Swedish national team, and Anette Börjesson (center).
Image: Imago
1984: Pia Sundhage celebrates after scoring the all-important penalty in the European Championship final against England.
Image: Imago
1987: The Swedish women's national football team records a single with two fight songs for the European Championship in Norway. Sweden made it to the final, where they lost 2-1 to the hosts.
Image: Imago
From 2008 to 2012, Sundhage was coach of the US team, winning the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and leading the team to the 2011 World Championship runner-up title. She coached world stars such as Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan.
Image: Imago
2013: Pia Sundhage is named the best female coach in the world. To her right: world footballer Lionel Messi, then FIFA President Sepp Blatter and world footballer Abby Wambach.
Image: Imago
2013: Pia Sundhage was coach of the home team at the European Championships in Sweden. The journey ended in the semi-finals.
Image: Imago
2021: Sundhage has a completely new experience as Brazil's national coach. When she remembers Marta, a multiple world cup winner, the first thing that comes to mind is her musical skills.
Image: Keystone
2024: Pia Sundhage becomes Switzerland's coach and meets her players in Marbella. It's always a very special moment.
Image: Keystone
2024: Switzerland beat Poland 4:1 on Sundhage's debut and she and Alisha Lehmann are beaming. What surprises her is what she talked to her about when they met: "Cats, dogs, cows and so on. That was actually pretty cool."
Image: Keystone
2012: Pia Sundhage plays the guitar in her summer house in Sweden. An important retreat for her to this day: "I need these moments when I'm not in competition mode."
Image: Imago
Sundhage's successes as a coach
She also celebrated great success as a coach. She led the US national team to Olympic victory in 2008 and 2012 and was named the best coach in the world after the second triumph. In 2011, she and her team were runners-up at the World Championships.
Between 2012 and 2017, she was on the sidelines with the Swedes and led the team to the semi-finals at the 2013 European Championships on home soil, before winning a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games. Her time in Brazil, where she was in charge between 2019 and 2023, was not quite as successful. But she also had some unforgettable experiences there and wouldn't want to miss the time.
Sundhage has been the coach of the Swiss national team since 2024. "The appointment of Pia Sundhage is another milestone in Swiss women's football," commented SFA President Dominique Blanc at the time. After eight winless games in a row and relegation from the Nations League, criticism of the 65-year-old has recently become louder.
Nevertheless, Sundhage led the national team to a 4:1 victory over the Czech Republic in the last test match before the European Championship. The winless streak has thus come to an end - and the Swiss have shown that they have not completely forgotten how to score goals. However, this only partially pacifies the critics. They will only be silenced if their team also delivers at the European Championships, which begin on July 2.
