Bennison's pressured wrist shot gave a crucial 1–0 away win against Serbia when the Swedish women's football team took a firm grip on a European Championship spot on Thursday evening. The final score was 2–0, and a brilliant starting position for the decisive playoff return match at home on Tele2 Arena in Stockholm on Tuesday.
It's good conditions. We had, of course, wanted to score more goals, but the absolute most important thing was to win the match, says Hanna Bennison.
She made her first A-national team appearance when she had just turned 17. She became a foreign pro at the age of 19. But maybe it's only now, as a newly turned 22-year-old, that Hanna Bennison's career is really taking off.
New position
The key seems to have been this summer's move from Everton – which she joined in 2021's most expensive transfer in the world on the women's side. In her new club Juventus, she has gained great confidence, which has rubbed off on the national team.
I may have a bit more self-confidence. I've got a lot of matches there, many good matches in the Champions League and in the league. I've grown from that and I'm trying to continue working all the time to become a better football player, says Bennison.
Just like before, she holds her position in the central midfield. But Juventus has used Bennison in a more defensive role, something that Sweden's national team coach Peter Gerhardsson has taken after.
When she went to Juventus, it opened our eyes to the fact that she can play in another position, she plays much lower there. And she has looked very good in that role, says Gerhardsson.
She is a very quick player with good game understanding, and it's hard to get past her. She can tackle too, and she has her shot. But she also makes many technically good passes, where she presses wrist passes with speed.
Praised by teammate
Away against Luxembourg, in the first playoff stage, he tested her in the new position for the first time. It turned out so well that he did it again in Thursday's match against Serbia.
Center-back Magdalena Eriksson has also noted Bennison's development.
You can see it in her that she plays with self-confidence and with an aura. She has gathered experience and has gained confidence in Italy. The self-confidence she takes with her into us, says Eriksson.
Lasse Mannheimer/TT
Facts: Hanna Bennison
TT
Born: October 16, 2002 (22 years old) in Lomma.
Club: Juventus (since the summer of 2024).
Position: inner midfielder.
A-national team appearances/goals: 48/2.
Football background: Brought up in Gif Nike from Lomma. Went to FC Rosengård in 2014 and made her A-team debut at the age of 14. Made her A-national team debut at the age of 17, in an away match against the USA in November 2019.
Main merits: Olympic silver 2021, World Championship bronze 2023, Swedish Championship gold with Rosengård 2019, named the world's largest football talent 2021 by the website Goal.
