Pia Mariane Sundhage (Swedish pronunciation: ['suːndhagə] soond-hah-gə; born 13 February 1960) is a Swedish former professional footballer who is currently the head coach of the United States Women's National Team. While she played most of her career as a forward, she had stints as a midfielder as well as a sweeper
Sundhage made her first appearance for the Swedish National Team in 1974, eventually amassing 146 caps and scoring 71 goals for her country. 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 Hanna Ljungberg.
She participated for Sweden in the 1991 and 1995 (a third place finish) editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup and the 1996 Summer Olympics. She won the 1984 UEFA Women's Championship. Her image appeared on a Swedish postage stamp in 1988.
In 2000, Sundhage finished sixth in the voting for FIFA Women's Player of the Century.
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.
Pia Sundhage was announced as the United States Women's National Team head coach on 13 November 2007. She became the seventh head coach in the U.S. team's history and the third woman. April Heinrichs led the squad from 2000–2004 and won the 2004 Summer Olympics, while Lauren Gregg was in charge for 3 games in 2000 before Heinrichs was appointed. Sundhage served as a scout for the United States during the 2004 Olympics.
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