Pia Sundhage Has Faith In The Future Of Swiss Women's Football: 'Really Great...'

Last Updated:July 02, 2025, 16:16 IST

Pia Sundhage sees a bright future for Swiss women's football, highlighting young talents like Sydney Schertenleib, Iman Beney, and Noemi Ivelj for Euro 2025 success.

The Swiss Women's team in training. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Switzerland coach Pia Sundhage believes the country has a “fantastic future" in women’s football, thanks to several promising young players aiming to shine at the European Championship.

Among them, 18-year-old Barcelona forward Sydney Schertenleib is arguably the most renowned, but she is not alone in her potential.

Fellow forward Iman Beney was signed by Manchester City last month, and midfielder Noemi Ivelj’s standout performances for Zurich Grasshoppers led Eintracht Frankfurt to recruit her for the Bundesliga. Both players are just 18.

Forward Leila Wandeler, 19, earned a surprise call-up from Sundhage after her breakthrough at Lyon last season.

“Switzerland has a fantastic future," Sundhage stated on Tuesday, ahead of the team’s Euro 2025 opener against Norway. “If you look at those players … the future is really great. Now we’re just in the mix, so the younger players probably lean a little bit to the experienced players. Both the young players and the most experienced players are important to make that winning mix sauce."

Who is Pia Sundhage?

At 65, Swedish coach Sundhage can draw on her extensive experience to bring out the best in both young and seasoned players as Switzerland seeks its second tournament win. Pia Sundhage’s long international career stretches back a decade beyond the first Women’s European Championship she won decisively for Sweden in 1984. The team previously defeated Iceland 2-1 at Euro 2017, with two draws and three losses in its other appearances.

When asked why, after successful tenures with the United States and Sweden, she chose to lead a “smaller team" by taking the Switzerland job last year, Sundhage explained it was the excitement of preparing the team for Euro 2025 that drew her.

“Playing the European Championship is something special," she said. “It’s so much more than a football game. Because everything we’ve done and the federation have done up to now, using fantastic role models, it’s a part of the women’s football. And we haven’t even played a game yet."

With AP Inputs

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Location :

Basel, Switzerland

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