Pia_Sundhage

Pia Sundhage

Pia Sundhage

Swedish football player, manager and Äggätare


Pia Mariane Sundhage (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈpîːa ˈsɵ̂nːdˌhɑːɡɛ], born 13 February 1960) is a Swedish football manager and former professional player. Most recently she was the head coach of the Brazil women's national team.[5] As a player, Sundhage played most of her career as a forward and retired as the top scorer for the Sweden national team, but she also had stints playing as a midfielder and a sweeper.

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Sundhage was the head coach of the United States women's national team from 2008 to 2012 and led the team to two Olympic gold medals and a silver medal at the World Cup. Her success led to her winning the 2012 FIFA World Coach of the Year. Sundhage later became the head coach of her native Sweden women's national football team from 2012 to 2017, winning an Olympic silver medal in 2016.

Club career

Sundhage started with IFK Ulricehamn as a youth player and eventually moved to Falköpings KIK in 1978. She then joined Jitex BK from 1979 to 1981. Sundhage played 1982 to 1983 with Östers IF, scoring 30 times in her first season with the club and chipping in 35 more in her second season. 1984 saw a move back to Jitex BK, while 1985 saw Sundhage split time between Stattena IF, S.S. Lazio (where she scored 17 times), and Jitex BK. She played the 1986 season with Hammarby IF DFF, before she moved back to Jitex BK from 1979 through 1989. Sundhage finished her career with Hammarby IF DFF, playing from 1990 until she retired in 1996.

She won four Damallsvenskan championships, all with Jitex BK, as well as two additional Svenska Cupen with the club. She also won two Svenska Cupen with Hammarby IF DFF.

International career

Sundhage made her first appearance for the Sweden national team as a 15-year-old in 1975, eventually amassing 146 caps and scoring 71 goals for her country.[6] Her 71 goals gave her joint-lead with Lena Videkull for the most in the Swedish national team history, a record which has since been surpassed by both Hanna Ljungberg and Lotta Schelin.

She participated for Sweden in the 1991 (a third-place finish) and 1995 editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup and the 1996 Summer Olympics. She won, and was the top scorer, in the 1984 UEFA Women's Championship. Her image appeared on a Swedish postage stamp in 1988.[7] In 1989 Sundhage scored the first goal in a women's match at Wembley Stadium, as Sweden beat England 20 in a curtainraiser for the Rous Cup.[8]

In 2000, Sundhage finished sixth in the voting for FIFA Women's Player of the Century.

Coaching career

Pre-United States

Sundhage got her start in coaching as a player/manager when she was with Hammarby IF DFF from 1992 to 1994. She then took assistants jobs with Vallentuna BK (1998 to 1999) and AIK Fotboll Dam (2000) before moving across the Atlantic Ocean to become an assistant with Philadelphia Charge of the new Women's United Soccer Association in the United States. She eventually was hired on by Boston Breakers as the head coach, winning the league title and being named the 2003 WUSA Coach of the Year in the process. Once the WUSA folded however, it was back to Scandinavia to take on further coaching positions.

Her relationship with the Boston Breakers led United States women's national team captain Kristine Lilly and fellow USWNT player Kate Markgraf joining her in the Swedish Damallsvenskan when Pia coached KIF Örebro DFF from 2005 to 2006, after a brief stint with Kolbotn IL in 2004. Lilly said she "wanted to play for Pia again."

Sundhage served as an assistant to Marika Domanski-Lyfors for the China Women's national team during the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.

United States women's national team

Pia Sundhage was announced as the United States women's national team head coach on 13 November 2007.[9] She became the seventh head coach in the U.S. team's history and the third woman. Lauren Gregg was in charge for 3 games in 2000, April Heinrichs led the squad from 20002004 and won the 2004 Summer Olympics, while Sundhage served as a scout for the United States during the 2004 Olympics.

United States women's national team at the 2012 Summer Olympics

While at the helm of the United States, Sundhage won the 2008 Algarve Cup and gold medals at both the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was on the verge of winning the 2009 Algarve Cup, but the United States lost out to Sundhage's native Sweden on penalties. However, she did win the 2010 Algarve Cup a year later, defeating World and European Champions Germany 3–2 in the final.

She coached the women's team to the final of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the team advanced to the final for the first time since 1999. However, they were upset by Japan, losing 3–1 on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw.[10] A year later, Sundhage coached the USWNT to another gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, defeating Japan 2–1 in a Women's World Cup final rematch, with Carli Lloyd scoring both goals.[11]

On 1 September 2012, Sundhage announced she was stepping down as the U.S women's head coach having expressed a desire to seek opportunities in her native Sweden. Sundhage announced she would coach the U.S. team's games on 16 and 19 September on the team's Olympic victory tour before officially resigning. "I have days where I think, 'What am I doing?' and there are other days where I'm like, 'I'm all up for this next challenge'" Sundhage said upon announcing her departing the US women's national team.[12] She coached her last game against Australia as part the team's Olympic victory tour on 19 September, defeating them 6–2. With this final win Sundhage was able to leave the team with a 91–6–10 win–loss–tie record that included two Olympic gold medals and a second-place finish at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.[13]

Sweden women's national team

The Swedish Football Association announced early 2 September 2012 that Sundhage signed a four-year contract that starts on 1 December. The announcement came hours after Sundhage's match as coach of the U.S. women's team, an 8–0 win in a friendly match against Costa Rica; the first of a series organised to celebrate the winning of gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Sundhage replaced Thomas Dennerby, who resigned after Sweden failed to reach the semifinals in 2012 Olympics.[14] "I have long dreamed of becoming Sweden coach and now I am so happy" Sundhage said.[15] Sundhage's first major tournament as coach of the Sweden team was the 2013 European championship, which Sweden hosted;[16] Sweden lost 0–1 in the semi-final to Germany, which won the championship. In the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Sweden advanced from their group after 3 consecutive draws (including a scoreless draw with eventual champions USA, but lost 4-1 to Germany in the Round of 16.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Sundhage's Sweden started slow, following up an opening 1-0 win over South Africa with a 1-5 loss vs the hosts (and her future employers), Brazil. However, a scoreless draw against China enabled Sweden to advance to the quarterfinals on a tiebreaker, where her team faced her former USA squad. Deploying defense-first tactics[note 1] and very physical play,[18] Sweden neutralized the top-ranked American attack, capitalized on a breakaway at 61', and held on through extra time to win in a penalty shootout. The victory marked the first time the USA was eliminated before the medal rounds at the Olympics. Sweden would go on to a rematch with Brazil in the semifinals, which they would also win in penalties after a scoreless draw. With a 2-1 defeat to Germany in the Gold Medal match, Sweden won their first Olympic medal in women's football.

After a disappointing quarterfinal exit in the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 tournament, in August 2017, Sundhage stepped down as coach of the women's national team, a move which had been announced the previous Fall.[19] In November 2017, the Swedish Football Association announced the appointment of Sundhage as the new Sweden women's national under-17 football team head coach. Sundhage took over her new duties on 1 January 2018.[20]

Brazil women's national team

In July 2019, Sundhage accepted an invitation from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to become the new coach of the Brazil women's national football team.[21]

Personal life

In January 2010, Sundhage mentioned in a Swedish TV interview that as a lesbian she has not felt any homophobia as a coach. "There has been no problem for me to be openly gay as head coach in the U.S.," said Sundhage.[22]

Career statistics

Matches and goals scored at World Cup and Olympic tournaments

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Matches and goals scored at European Championship tournaments

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International goals

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Managerial statistics

All competitive league games (league and domestic cup) and international matches (including friendlies) are included.

As of 20 July 2021
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Honours

Player

Jitex BK

Hammarby IF DFF

  • Svenska Cupen: 1994, 1995

Sweden

Individual

Managerial

United States Women

Sweden Women

Brazil Women

Individual

Awards

Sundhage was awarded the Illis quorum in the eighth size by the Swedish government in 2021.[76]

See also


References

  1. "Women's Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020: Squad list, Brazil" (PDF). FIFA. 7 July 2021. p. 2. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  2. "Pia Sundhage" (in Swedish). Swedish Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  3. Official Results: Football. Vol. 12. Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. 1996. p. 14. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  4. "Caps and goals". svenskfotboll.se.
  5. Chris Burke (5 October 2010). "1984: Pia Sundhage". UEFA. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  6. "Damfotboll (Pia Sundhage)". Postmuseum [sv]. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  7. "Fakta och meriter för medlemmarna i SFS Hall of Fame". SFS (in Swedish). Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  8. "New Coach for Women's U.S. Soccer Team". The New York Times. 14 November 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  9. "Japan win World Cup". Eurosport. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  10. Jackson, Jamie (9 August 2012). "London 2012: USA avenge World Cup defeat by Japan to win Olympic gold". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  11. U.S. coach Pia Sundhage steps down Archived 4 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine, ESPN.com. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  12. "Sweden women's soccer coach quits following Olympic loss". Associated Press via foxnews.com. 27 March 2015.
  13. "Sundhage appointed Sweden coach". Associated Press via Yahoo! Sports.[permanent dead link]
  14. "Sundhage to be new Sweden coach". AFP via Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  15. "Pia Sundhage appointed as Sweden Under-17 Women's National Team Head Coach". WomensSoccerUnited. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  16. "Head coach Pia Sundhage of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team comes out". AfterEllen. 13 January 2010. Archived from the original on 24 August 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  17. "Finland–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  18. "Danmark–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  19. "Sverige–England – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  20. "Island–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  21. "Sverige–Danmark – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  22. "Sverige–Island – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  23. "Sverige–Italien – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  24. "Sverige–Italien – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  25. "Sverige–England – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  26. "Sverige–Belgien – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  27. "Norge–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  28. "Sverige–USA U19 – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  29. "Sverige–Ungern – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  30. "Sverige–Schweiz – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  31. "Kanada–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  32. "Sverige–Irland – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  33. "Danmark–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  34. "Sverige–Finland – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  35. "England–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  36. "Sverige–Italien – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  37. "Finland–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  38. "Sverige–Polen – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  39. "Sverige–Italien – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  40. "Sverige–Italien – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  41. "Finland–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  42. "Danmark–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  43. "Sverige–Sovjet – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  44. "Sverige–Spanien – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  45. "Sverige–England – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  46. "Finland–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  47. "Danmark–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  48. "Danmark–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  49. "Sverige–Spanien – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  50. "Spanien–Sverige – Matchfakta" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  51. "Sundhage får medalj av regeringen". www.vk.se (in Swedish). 16 December 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
Match reports
  1. Sweden's defensive setup also drew angry postgame remarks from Hope Solo, Sundhage's former longtime goalkeeper at the USWNT, which resulted in an end to Solo's international career.[17]
  2. The 1984 European Championship was won by Sweden on penalty kicks when both legs ended 1-0.[23]

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