The illustrious career of coach Pia Sundhage in girls’s soccer contains Olympic gold medals, a Copa America Femenina title and accolades corresponding to FIFA girls’s coach of the 12 months.
The one large gap in her teaching résumé is a Women’s World Cup crown. Sundhage got here shut in 2011 when her United States crew misplaced the ultimate to Japan in a penalty shootout.
The 63-year-old Swede has a fourth likelihood to lastly bag the large one with Brazil, which can also be searching for its first World Cup trophy as the good Marta nears the tip of her taking part in days.
Sundhage stated in an interview with The Associated Press at Brazil’s coaching middle in Teresopolis, exterior Rio de Janeiro, that she appreciated their probabilities when the event kicks off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
Her crew is in Group F with France — the crew that eradicated the Brazilians 4 years in the past in the final 16 — Jamaica and Panama.
“I truly believe the 10 best-ranked teams, like we are, do have a chance to go all the way,” Sundhage stated. “USA, Germany, Sweden and England, they’ve a giant likelihood to win.
“But have a look at Canada. They received an Olympic gold medal (in 2020) and so they at all times come from behind. If you don’t have any accidents, you will have an ideal crew, you acquire confidence by profitable and having slightly little bit of luck.”
Her teaching involvement in Women’s World Cups started in 2007 as an assistant with China. There was the near miss with the U.S. in 2011, between Olympic gold medals at the Beijing and London Games. In 2015, her Sweden side was knocked out in the round of 16.
She was minding the Sweden Under-17 women when the Brazilian Football Confederation came to Sundhage after the 2019 Women’s World Cup. Her contract is up following the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Across her stints with the U.S., Sweden and Brazil, her win rate is above 66%.
Sundhage came to Brazil with knowledge of its soccer culture but almost no Portuguese-speaking skills, and a demanding style. Four years later, she has become a fan of Brazilian singers and adopted a more patient approach.
She said she felt a culture clash when she took the job, with players reliant on their skills but yet to grow in terms of teamwork.
In April, showing her side was on the rise, Brazil drew in England and beat Germany away in two friendlies despite having several players injured, including Marta.
“At the beginning it was overwhelming,” Sundhage said. “When I went to the U.S. it was the identical factor. They had been very profitable, and who am I? Should I modify something? Yes, in fact, slightly bit. But it couldn’t be an excessive amount of of a change as a result of they’d been profitable. And it couldn’t be too small as a result of they might simply as nicely carry in an American coach. It is comparable right here.
“In Sweden, we’re very nicely organized, we have now a sport plan, particularly in protection. When it comes to the U.S. it’s, ‘Go for it, one versus one.’ And of course that always brings a change to be more flexible and organized. This warm country with warm people is very emotional. They rely on their technique and doing special things that make you shine, your team shine.”
Defender Rafaella agrees Brazil’s first expertise with a overseas coach has improved the crew’s protection and introduced a extra tactical strategy.
“She brought her style of a very compact team, it is very hard for others to break our lines,” Rafaella advised the AP. “We evolved a lot. Pia is an extrovert during our meetings, she sings and laughs, but she is very demanding about our fitness, intensity. We will never forget our intensive training with her. I hope we can carry those lessons beyond the 2024 Olympics, no matter how long she works with Brazil.”
Sundhage will announce her World Cup squad, which has already been affected by accidents, Tuesday. Three that stand out have dominated out striker Ludmila, put 37-year-old Marta prone to ranging from the bench, and solid doubts on midfielder Angelina.
“It is a team game, it is not one player that will win the World Cup. It will be the team, and it will be a cohesive team,” Sundhage stated.
The coach added a few of the gamers she is going to choose “will be unstoppable” inside 4 years.
Sundhage is aware of Brazil followers will choose her on what occurs in the World Cup however trusts she is on the correct path. As to what occurs after, she is unconcerned. The crew’s greatest earlier outcome was making the 2007 ultimate, and shedding to Germany.
“I am on a fantastic journey to the World Cup,” the coach stated. “Then one other implausible journey to the Olympics in France. And then I do not know.
“What issues is that I’m proper right here, proper now.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
FIFA Women’s World Cup
FIFA WORLD CUP WOMEN trending
Get more from FIFA Women’s World Cup Follow your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra
Source link
