What does Peter Gerhardsson do during a World Cup when he’s been talking about football with his assistant Magnus Wikman all evening and then he’s finally alone in his room? “I’ll write him a Whatsapp,” says Gerhardsson, “because I’ve always remembered something.” Don’t worry, his wife and three children would also get messages from him, Gerhardsson promises. But the exchange with Wikman is so close and so fruitful that new ideas, sudden thoughts cannot be delayed.
Since 2017, 63-year-old Gerhardsson and Wikman, eleven years his junior, have been in charge of the “Damlandslaget”, Sweden’s women’s national team. After the Olympic silver medal in 2021 and third place at the 2019 World Cup, they are now facing their greatest success: This Tuesday (10:00 a.m. CEST in the FAZ live ticker for the women’s World Cup and on ZDF) the Swedes will play in Auckland against Spain and want to reach the final. They don’t see it as a disadvantage at all that they were almost forgotten before the tournament, and somehow also during it, and were never actually among the favourites: “It’s important what we believe about ourselves, not the people out there,” says Gerhardsson .
The 2:1 in the quarterfinals against the Japanese, who had been so strong up to that point, gave them a boost. Nobody in the team or at home in Sweden gives a damn about the “how”: “It may not always look good, but the most important thing is to win,” says midfielder Johanna Kaneryd from Chelsea FC, who at 26 has one is the younger in Sweden’s selection.
In addition to the traditionally good youth work and a still respectable domestic league, this is a big plus in Gerhardsson’s team: Captain Kosovare Asllani (AC Milan), Stina Blackstenius (FC Arsenal) and Magdalena Eriksson (FC Bayern) radiate calm and self-confidence thanks to their experience . “We have the morale, the mentality and the squad to become world champions,” says Eriksson.
Gerhardsson: “It makes me calmer”
Since the thrilling European Championships a year ago, audience numbers have been high in the country, and the stadiums are well attended for international matches. For a long time, women have enjoyed just as good care as men. It’s not much talked about. It is expected by the association “SvFF”.
Gerhardsson is the “Förbundskapten”, the association captain, but of course he and Wikman are equal partners, how could it be otherwise in Sweden – and very different people at the same time: “When I come into the breakfast room and a whole table is laughing, I know that Magnus is sitting there,” said Gerhardsson before the World Cup, when the two characterized each other – and teased.
Wikman, the Oasis fan who has over 2000 vinyl discs at home in Uppsala, gently scoffed at Gerhardsson’s taste in music. And about not finding Gerhardsson on social media. Gerhardsson, in turn, shook his head at Wikman’s t-shirt choices and outgoing nature.
The whole thing was as harmless as it was funny, and you couldn’t help but think: would that be possible with the DFB? Where holy seriousness hovers over everything? When asked recently why he sits so relaxed on the bench during games, Gerhardsson replied: “I’ve stopped drinking coffee on game days. I am drug free now. That makes me calmer.”
Together they are strong: Sweden’s coach Gerhardsson (right) and his assistant Wikman : Photo: AP
There was a remarkable detail in the initially shaky preliminary round. In the 5-0 win against Italy, captain Asllani spoke to Gerhardsson after 20 unconvincing minutes: “We wanted to attack higher. After that it got better,” she said. “We are tactically good and can change our systems during the game.” Of course it helps to trust a goalkeeper as reliable as Zecira Musovic in tricky moments; Sweden have only conceded two goals.
Nevertheless, Gerhardsson cleared up any doubts about his team with ease. Stina Blackstenius misses the goal? “She’s doing great things up front, even if that’s invisible to some.” She herself only says: “That’s okay. It doesn’t always have to be about me.” Besides, who expected four goals from defender Amanda Ilestedt?
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He and Wikman have always remained curious and innovative, says Gerhardsson, who copied the game systems from ice hockey and calls for unity during tournaments: “A World Cup or European Championship takes a long time. We have to grow together like a club team. Then great things can happen.” Gerhardsson, Wikman and their Swedes are not too far away from their first title.
