The assistant national team captain, if anyone, should know what he is talking about. For it is a special relationship that Wikman and the defender Sembrant have built up over the years.
Both are from Uppsala and their paths crossed for the first time when Magnus Wikman coached Linda Sembrant in high school, over 20 years ago. Before high school was over, he also became her coach in the Damallsvenskan team Bälinge.
Now they are sitting and praising each other at the national team's European Championship base in Swiss Cham.
He taught me football. Tactically, defensive play. He was very skilled. And I was very interested too, thought it was very interesting and fun and I think I was very receptive to his way of working. What he taught me during that period when I was 17, 18, 19 years old has been very significant for me, says Sembrant, who in Friday's European Championship premiere victory over Denmark made her 157th national team match.
"Glad for her sake"
"Sempa”, who, just like Wikman, is doing her last championship with Blågult, got the chance in the starting eleven when Magdalena Eriksson was missing with a injury concern.
I like her a lot. I am glad for her sake that she got to show again how good she is. To play against world-class players and show that she can handle and mentally play these matches at a high level. Even though she has not played much in Bayern and did not play (the dress rehearsal) against Norway, says Magnus Wikman.
About the fine relationship with the defender, who left Bayern Munich after the past season, he says with a laugh that "it is probably more love from me than from her". The question is whether it is true.
"Fine leader and person"
Sembrant, who has opened up to becoming a coach when she has hung up her boots, sees a role model in Wikman. Not just when it comes to his football skills.
A very fine leader and person. If he does not think that something is good enough, he can say it in a fairly simple way. Because I have such respect for him. And at the same time in the next second, we can also joke about something. So it is a very fine balance. And it is something that I appreciate in a leader, she says.
Magnus Wikman would like to see Linda Sembrant one day follow in his coaching footsteps:
She is a skilled football player, has an intelligence out there on the pitch. She has done very many things right and is a person who is very lovable, who I think everyone really likes. She would be extremely well suited as a coach. I really hope she stays within football.
Sweden continues the group play in the European Championship on Tuesday evening, against Poland in Luzern.
Linda Sembrant
Born: May 15, 1987 in Uppsala.
Senior clubs in career: Bälinge, AIK, Göteborg, Tyresö, Montpellier, Juventus, Bayern München.
National team career: Made debut in 2008. Has played 157 national team matches and scored 19 goals for Blågult.
Current: Doing her last championship with Sweden in the European Championship. Expected to continue playing football, but it is unclear in which club after she recently left Bayern München.
Magnus Wikman
Born: July 7, 1971 in Uppsala.
Coaching career: Shortly after ending his playing career in Sirius, he became a coach in Bälinge in 2005, which he immediately led back to the Damallsvenskan. Later took over Linköping, which he led to the Swedish championship in 2009. Has been assistant national team captain since 2017 and is ending, just like national team captain Peter Gerhardsson, after this summer's European Championship.
