A beginning, no end – this is how Switzerland fell in love with the national team

July 18, 2025 Quarter-final against Spain

As Switzerland's home tournament comes to an end, the question is: should they cry or rejoice? Emotions are in full swing in Bern's Wankdorf stadium after their quarterfinal elimination against Spain. The Swiss women fought selflessly, with a crowd behind them that relentlessly encouraged them. And at the end, they cheered them on as if they hadn't lost 2-0, but had won.

That's not entirely wrong: In just a few weeks, the team has won over people across the country with its courage, its freshness, its generosity. On Saturday afternoon, everyone will come together again: the players will celebrate with the fans on Bundesplatz.

They, too, are struggling with different emotions. There was crying and dancing in the locker room, national coach Pia Sundhage recounts the day after. She is tired, like everyone else who went through the adventure. At the press conference, she is asked what her next steps will be. The 65-year-old Swede's contract runs until the end of the year. It's too early to say anything, Sundhage replies. Marion Daube, head of women's football at the Swiss Football Association, also wants to let the final weeks settle before discussing the coach's future.

Our journey begins with Pia Sundhage.

17 December 2024 Interview with the national coach

Pia Sundhage's final question is bold: "Can Switzerland become European champions?" "Yes!" exclaims the national coach, beaming. Would she like to elaborate? "No." These are the last hours she spends in Switzerland before traveling home to Sweden to celebrate Christmas with her family. At the House of Football in Muri, there's a year-end mood; everyone is looking forward to a few days off before the demanding European Championship year begins.

Sundhage, as always attentive and talkative, talks about the opening match of the 2013 European Championship in Sweden, when she was the Swedish national coach. How she saw the fans from the bus, all together, Swedish families and Danish ones. How much that meant to her. She says she hopes something similar will happen in Switzerland.

She talks about how the young players can play an important role at the European Championships and what she wants to convey to them: "Not trying something is the biggest mistake you can make. Spread your wings —that's the only way to get the best out of yourself." The young players did just that; in fact, many of the team exceeded their own expectations.

There was only one thing in which Pia Sundhage was too bold: Switzerland will have to wait a little longer for the European Championship title.

March 21, 2025 Interview with Lia Wälti

It's Friday evening, and Lia Wälti is comfortably settled into an armchair in her home in St. Albans, north London. Using her laptop camera, she shows her interviewees in Zurich that she's sitting in the middle of a construction site. Wälti is currently renovating her apartment. It's one of many projects the 32-year-old has this spring before the European Championships: She's playing in two competitions with Arsenal, she's published a children's book with her sister, and her final exams for her distance learning course are just before the European Championships.

As always, the captain of the Swiss national team answers all questions openly. She talks about dealing with mental health issues in sports, the risks of the rapid development of women's football, the national team's achievements, and her virtually irreplaceable role within the team. There's only one thing she doesn't discuss: her health.

It wasn't until much later, at the end of May, that Wälti revealed that her health hadn't been good for the past six months. That she was playing in pain, having to decide before each game whether she was fit to play. To this day, no one knows exactly what her problems were. Only this much: she's grit her teeth to give her team everything she's got.

June 3, 2025 Relegation from the Nations League

Preparations for the European Championship are taking on the characteristics of a fiasco. Almost no goals and no win for months. Nearly 7,000 people are in attendance at the Stade de Tourbillon as the Swiss women's team must beat Norway in the Nations League to avoid relegation. They're already 1-0 down after just four minutes, and that doesn't change until the very end. Another setback, especially against their first European Championship opponent. And most importantly: Relegation from the Nations League makes qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil more difficult.

Afterward, it's time for a whitewash, even though the match is a real pain for those in charge on the sidelines and in the stands. The Norwegians' physical condition alone—what a difference compared to the Swiss team. Livia Peng is in goal, but it's unclear whether she or Elvira Herzog will be the No. 1 at the finals. Where does that happen before a tournament? Ramona Bachmann isn't playing, and neither is Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic. Lia Wälti is already in early discussions with coach Pia Sundhage on the sidelines.

After the momentous match, the experienced coach was asked whether this was one of the biggest challenges of her career. She replied: "Yessssss."

June 16, 2025 Media Day

There are supposedly people who enjoy speed dating, the efficient way to get to know strangers, chatting with them for a few minutes before moving on to the next person. In the Sonne seminar room at the Nottwil Paraplegic Center, it doesn't look like many people are particularly fond of the format.

At the start of the second week of preparation before the European Championship, the Football Association invites you to a speed-dating media day: Almost all of the players from the extended squad are present and move from table to table in small groups. There, they meet with four or five journalists for 15 minutes, who ask them everything from their favorite food to their healed cruciate ligament tear to their training intensity.

Lia Wälti is tense, Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic only landed a few hours ago from the USA, Coumba Sow doesn't know if she'll be in the final squad and reiterates that it doesn't feel good. And then the press officer hustles her on her way.

After two hours, the conversations die down, and the media and players exchange tired glances. What else is there to say? It's time for the European Championship to begin.

June 23, 2025 Squad Announcement: The Story of Ramona Bachmann

Nine days remain until the start of the European Championship. At a UBS branch on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse, Pia Sundhage explains her selection of the 23 players who made the European Championship squad. There are no major surprises, but there's plenty of talk surrounding one player who isn't on the list: Ramona Bachmann, a regular starter for almost 20 years.

The day before, the 34-year-old revealed in an SRF documentary that she had spent seven weeks in the Meiringen private clinic last winter due to an anxiety disorder . She kept the problem to herself for a long time, but those closest to her sensed something was wrong. When teammates at a national team gathering in November even feared she might harm herself, Bachmann finally agreed to seek professional help.

This mental health crisis was only indirectly the reason why Bachmann missed the European Championships. Three weeks before the tournament, her cruciate ligament tore. It's a classic case of injury: the body makes decisions for the mind. Bachmann had gained five kilograms due to the medication she was taking during her therapy, and training wasn't going as well as usual. She was battling with herself: Should she give up her place voluntarily? Or did she deserve to participate in the tournament through her years of commitment? Then her body said stop. And despite the shock and the pain, a great deal of pressure was lifted from Bachmann.

June 25, 2025 Conversation with the parents Beney

One week until the tournament begins. In Savièse, high above the Rhône Valley, Cleo and Nicolas Beney don't yet know that their 18-year-old daughter Iman will become one of the faces of the tournament.

It's one of those hot days in late June, and the Beneys are sitting outside on the terrace. Vineyards stretch out at their feet, and Tourbillon Castle looms in the distance. They explain that Iman left home early, at the age of 12, and that she rarely comes home. It turns into a long, thoughtful conversation about what football does to the child's life and to that of her parents. Nicolas, the father, a professional himself, says he once considered encouraging his daughter to pursue a football career.

Now the Beneys are enjoying the adventure football has transformed their lives into. A few days later, they put on the Swiss number 19 jersey, travel to Basel, Bern, and Geneva, and watch Iman race across the pitch, just 18, as young as Sydney Schertenleib and Leila Wandeler. They all embody the youthful vigor of the national team, which soon captivates the entire country.

26 June 2025 Friendly match against the Czech Republic

Xhemaili, Reuteler, Vallotto, Fölmli. Four different players scored in the 4-1 win against the Czech Republic in the final friendly before the European Championships at Winterthur's Schützenwiese. Really? Yes.

Riola Xhemaili, in particular, is playing brilliantly. In addition to her goal, she dazzles with a heel trick that leads to Géraldine Reuteler's goal. The attack is generally a joy; it's as if a new energy is invigorating the team. So, can we still hope?

The tentative growth of optimism on this balmy summer evening marked a turning point. The momentum wouldn't wane even when the national team lost its first group match against Norway a week later. And it would be Riola Xhemaili who opened the door to the quarterfinals for Switzerland with her 92nd-minute equalizer in the third group match against Finland.

Only one concern is growing in Winterthur. While the kids outside scream after the game because Alisha Lehmann is doing a few laps, national coach Pia Sundhage is in the stadium basement giving an update on Lia Wälti's health. The captain didn't play because of her knee. But it will hold up for the four European Championship matches.

July 2, 2025 The opening game

Standing crammed together in a tram in 37-degree heat is no fun. But on this evening, that doesn't matter. As has been the case all afternoon in downtown Basel, the excitement that major sporting events can create is palpable. Further back on the tram, someone starts singing "Hopp Schwiiz." The tram heads to St. Jakob Park, the opening match of the European Championship, Switzerland vs. Norway. Finally, it's starting.

Goosebumps during the national anthem. And then the 34,000 spectators could hardly believe their eyes: the Swiss women hadn't performed so well, so combatively, so confidently in a long time. They lost a match 2-1 that, over the 90 minutes, contained pretty much everything you could wish for, a rollercoaster of emotions: the Swiss goal that took the lead. A Swiss own goal. A missed penalty by the opponent. In return, a penalty call for Switzerland, which was overturned. A shot that hit the crossbar, suspense until the very end.

That's how football should be.

An article from the « NZZ am Sonntag »