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The Australian Football Association introduced Gustavsson at a press conference. The 47-year-old’s contract spans four years and three major championships: the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024, as well as the World Cup at home and in New Zealand 2023.
– I am very proud and happy to have been appointed captain of the “Matildas” national team. I feel like my 21 years as a coach have prepared me for this. I feel like I’ve come to the point where this is what I’ve been waiting for, says Gustavsson, who visited the Australian Embassy in London on Tuesday.
“Matildas”, as the national team is called, ranks seventh in the world.
– I’ve always said that Matildas has the potential to be one of the best teams in the world and that’s one of the reasons why I wanted to take this job. I have been in hot air many times and in environments that require success. It will be good to build on these experiences when we do this together as a team with the fans, sponsors, players and staff, says Gustavsson.
His long and successful career attracted Australia. Gustavsson was an assistant coach behind Jill Ellis when the United States took two consecutive World Cup golds on the women’s side in 2015 and 2019.
In 2012, he helped Pia Sundhage when the United States won Olympic gold in London. He has also been the head coach of Hammarby and Sundsvall in the men’s Swedish and led Tyresö to the Swedish Championship gold and the 2014 Women’s Champions League final.
Tony Gustavsson will remain in Hammarby through the fall.
Photo: Maxim Thoré / Bildbyrån
A little over a month ago Hammarby hired him and took a place on the men’s team governing body at the Allsvenskan, but the offer to lead “Matildas” at the Olympics this summer and against the World Cup at home in 2023 was too good to say no.
“This does not affect my main focus at the moment, and it is Hammarby and finishing this fall in the best way. I will abide by the agreement we have drawn up and I will do so with all my commitment, ”he tells Hammarby’s website.
With his new assignment, Gustavsson extends Swedish influence in international football on the women’s side. Pia Sundhage is already the captain of the national team in Brazil, Anna Signeul in Finland and Martin Sjögren in Norway.
