On Monday, it is announced that the contract with women's national team coach Pia Sundhage will be terminated. On Tuesday, her successor Rafel Navarro is introduced. SFA President Peter Knäbel explains to blue Sport how it could have happened so quickly.
Less than four months after the quarter-final exit against Spain, the decision on Pia Sundhage's future has been made: The Swede must relinquish her position. The 65-year-old's successor is ready just one day after she was released: Rafel Navarro.
Who is the Spaniard, who was most recently assistant coach at Barcelona, and how was it possible to find a new solution so quickly? "It's not easy to ask a coach who is still 'on the job'. Nor is it easy for a club like FC Barcelona to let him go," says SFA President Peter Knäbel. The fact that a decision was made so quickly and a commitment was made also surprised him.
"100 percent the right profile"
The negotiations took shape after the friendly match in Scotland and were finalized today. "We are all happy," says Knäbel.
Navarro has "100 percent the right profile" for the four-year plan that the association has set itself. "He has the experience of working with world-class players and their development - which he has played a key role in shaping. He has been the constant in recent years, the head coach has changed time and again."
According to Knäbel, the Spaniard also brings a great deal of footballing expertise and passion, which we know from really great coaches. "He prefers to talk about the game," says the SFA President with a smile.
The coach himself is looking forward to his new role: "I accepted the offer because I want to be head coach," he tells blue Sport. He was able to celebrate many successes at Barcelona and work with the best players in the world, so of course he also received many offers.
In the end, he opted for Switzerland because there is a good mix of experienced and young, talented players. "That could be a key for the future," says Navarro.
Thanks to Sundhage
Director of Women's Football Marion Daube had this to say about outgoing coach Pia Sundhage: "I would like to say, and it is important for me to say, how grateful I am personally to a person and coach like Pia Sundhage. The European Championship tournament was great."
Nevertheless, the decision to make a change was made after careful consideration. "There will also be a completely new strategy from 2026, which the central board has just launched with a kick-off. And I think the whole thing is a process and we have announced it, we have also discussed it with Pia and we have now had to take this time," says Daube.
What remains of the time with Sundhage? "I remember the European Championships. The team went above and beyond, put in a great performance and we inspired a lot of people, and Pia was also very important as a personality," says Daube. Overall, however, the time under the Swede had its ups and downs. "We were relegated to Nations League B, we won one game out of ten in 2025. That's not all positive and rosy," explains the national team director.
