The former goalkeeper has made 30 A-international matches and has also been part of the U23 national team's staff. Right now, Sofia Lundgren is a goalkeeper coach for Hammarby's women, which the 42-year-old will continue with in parallel with the national team assignment over the Damallsvenskan season.
Sofia has experience from national team football and has followed Swedish football for a longer period, and has scouted goalkeepers. Then there is a top feature in Sofia, and that is that she is extremely demanding in driving training. And I know that at the international top level, the demands must be very high, and she does not hesitate to make demands that it should be trained well and hard. And I like that, says Tony Gustavsson.
Coaching staff ready
Wednesday's press conference was Gustavsson's first since he took over as national team manager for the women's national team after Peter Gerhardsson, who after eight years in the post stepped down after the summer's European Championship.
During his first weeks on the job, Tony Gustavsson has deliberately avoided contacting any players. First, he wanted to form his coaching staff.
So that we can sit down together and build the game idea, look at how we should scout in the best way and then go out. So I can not give any sharp and good answers to which players I will build the team around, says Gustavsson.
In addition to Lundgren, the coaching staff consists of Johanna Almgren (assistant national team manager), Anders Eriksson (analyst), Niklas Egnell (head of performance) and Kristin Holm Geirsdottir (performance manager).
Almgren was presented earlier and Eriksson was also part of Gerhardsson's leadership staff. The others are new "recruits".
Tough start
Niklas Egnell comes just like Sofia Lundgren from Hammarby, where he was responsible for the men's team's physical training.
I know "Niko" and have tried to recruit him before. He is one of Sweden's absolute best when it comes to combining being an incredibly well-educated football coach - he has been a head coach himself - and then choosing to become an expert on the physical side, says Gustavsson.
The first international match is a while away, but it will be the toughest possible start. At the end of October, a double meeting with the reigning world champion Spain awaits in the Nations League semi-final.
