Switzerland Women Soccer Team: What Really Happened After Euro 2025

Switzerland. You think of watches, chocolate, and maybe Roger Federer. But honestly, the real story right now is happening on the grass. The Switzerland women soccer team—affectionately known as "La Nati"—is currently in the middle of a massive identity shift. We aren't just talking about a change in jersey design or a new training ground. We’re talking about a full-blown tactical revolution led by a guy who used to help run the show at Barcelona.

If you followed the 2025 UEFA Women's Euro, you saw the hype. Switzerland hosted the thing. The atmosphere was electric. But once the confetti was swept away after their quarter-final exit, the Swiss Football Association did something bold. They moved on from the legendary Pia Sundhage. In her place? Rafel Navarro.

The Barcelona Blueprint in Bern

Navarro is a name you’ve gotta know if you want to understand where this team is headed. He spent years as an assistant at FC Barcelona Femeni. You know, the team that basically treats the Champions League trophy like a permanent roommate.

The SFA didn't hire him to just "keep things steady." They want the "Barça way." They want technique. They want creativity. Most of all, they want collective intelligence. Basically, they're tired of being the underdog that scrapes by on grit; they want to dictate the game.

It’s a risky move. Sundhage is a giant of the game, a coach who has won almost everything. Replacing her with a 39-year-old tactical specialist who has mostly worked in the shadows is a statement. The goal is clear: prepare for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil and make sure the "Swiss style" is more than just solid defending.

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The Faces You Need to Watch

While the coach is new, the talent on the pitch is a mix of veteran "royalty" and some kids who are scary good for their age.

• Lia Wälti: The captain. Honestly, she’s the heartbeat. She plays for Juventus now after a massive stint at Arsenal, and if she isn't on the field, the team feels different. Sorta like a car missing its steering wheel.
• Ana-Maria Crnogorčević: She’s the GOAT of Swiss women’s soccer. Period. Over 176 caps. Over 70 goals. She’s currently out in Seattle with the Reign, but her influence in the locker room is still massive.
• Sydney Schertenleib: This is the name people are whispering about. She’s only 18, but she’s already at Barcelona. Navarro knows exactly what she can do. She’s got that "it" factor—vision that most veterans don't even have.
• Iman Beney: Another teenager making waves. She’s at Manchester City. She missed a huge chunk of time with an ACL injury right before the 2023 World Cup, which was heartbreaking. But she’s back, and she’s fast. Like, blink-and-you-miss-her fast.

Why the World Cup Qualifiers Matter So Much

March 2026 is the start of the road to Brazil. Switzerland found themselves drawn into a group with Northern Ireland, Turkey, and Malta. On paper? They should cruise. But soccer is rarely played on paper.

The Swiss are currently ranked 25th in the world as of late 2025. That’s a bit of a drop from their all-time high of 15th back in 2016. They’ve had some rocky results lately, including some tough losses in the Nations League against teams like France and Norway.

Navarro's job is to stop the bleeding. He needs to integrate the youth—players like Noemi Ivelj and Smilla Vallotto—without losing the stability that veterans like Noelle Maritz provide. Maritz has over 130 caps; you don't just replace that kind of experience overnight.

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The Growth Problem

Here is a weird stat: back in 1990, Switzerland only had about 4,000 licensed female players. Today? It’s over 41,000. That is a 1,000% increase.

But with growth comes pressure. The Swiss public has tasted success. They saw their team win their group at the 2023 World Cup. They saw them reach the knockouts of a home Euro. Now, "just qualifying" isn't enough. The fans want to see the Switzerland women soccer team actually compete with the heavy hitters like Spain or England.

The problem is the "gap." While Switzerland is getting better, the rest of the world is exploding. Spain is playing a different sport right now. England is a machine. The Swiss are caught in that middle ground—too good for the small teams, but still searching for the formula to topple the giants.

The "Lehmann" Factor

You can't talk about this team without mentioning Alisha Lehmann. She is arguably the most famous female athlete on the planet in terms of social media following.

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Sometimes, the "influencer" side of her life overshadows her play on the wing. But she’s a legitimate threat. She’s currently playing in Italy with Como, and under Navarro, she’s being asked to be more disciplined. It’s a fascinating dynamic. Does a coach who values "collective intelligence" find a permanent home for a high-profile individualist?

So far, the answer is yes. But she’s fighting for minutes. The competition for those attacking spots is fierce, especially with young talents like Alayah Pilgrim and Géraldine Reuteler playing out of their skin.

Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts

If you're following the Switzerland women soccer team this year, keep your eyes on these specific shifts:

1. Watch the Formation: Under Sundhage, it was often a sturdy 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1. Navarro is leaning toward a more fluid 4-3-3 that morphs during the game. If you see the fullbacks pushing high into the midfield, that’s the "Barça" influence at work.
2. The "Schertenleib" Metric: Check the box scores for Sydney Schertenleib. Her minutes are a direct indicator of how much Navarro is committing to the youth movement. If she’s starting every game, the transition is in full swing.
3. Home Games in 2026: If you can catch a game at the Letzigrund in Zurich or the Stade de la Tuilière in Lausanne, do it. The attendance records are being broken almost every year. The atmosphere is shifting from "polite curiosity" to "intense passion."
4. The Road to 2027: Keep a close eye on the goal difference in the World Cup qualifiers. In the past, Switzerland has sometimes struggled to put away "smaller" teams comfortably. To be a top-10 team, they need to be ruthless.

The next twelve months will define the next decade of Swiss soccer. It’s an experiment in real-time: can you take a disciplined, hardworking national team and inject it with the DNA of the world’s most creative club? We’re about to find out.