UEFA Women's EURO 2025: Teenagers updating Switzerland's profile
Friday, July 18, 2025
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"We just play without overthinking everything," said Sydney Schertenleib, 18, one of four teenagers helping Switzerland to keep their cool at UEFA Women's EURO 2025.
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Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" was blasting in the dressing room after a late equaliser against Finland took Switzerland to their first-ever quarter-finals at UEFA Women's EURO 2025. It was a fitting choice: Switzerland started the game with two 18-year-olds – Iman Beney and Sydney Schertenleib – in Pia Sundhage's starting line-up, and 19-year-old Leila Wandeler came on for the second half.
Beney, who signed with Manchester City days before the tournament started, has been providing an attacking threat at wing-back, while forward Schertenleib has won praise in many quarters and set up Géraldine Reuteler's opener against Iceland.
"She's one of the most talented players in Europe," said Switzerland assistant coach Lilie Persson of Schertenleib, who joined Barcelona last summer. "With the ball, against the ball, she's always dangerous," added former Swiss international Johan Djourou, who is the team's sporting coordinator at the finals. "To play like this when you're 18, to have such an influence: that's remarkable."
Wandeler was a dark horse choice in the finals squad, and only earned her first cap in a friendly a week before Switzerland's opening game. Coming off the bench against Iceland and Finland, she helped to re-energise her side. "It felt like she had been with us for ten years," said Djourou. "She has a simplicity in her game, a connection. She can make a difference."
Beney, Schertenleib, Wandeler and the other teenager in the squad, Noemi Ivelj, all featured in the Switzerland side that reached the UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship semi-finals in 2023. "We were all there together, and now we're enjoying every moment here," said Beney. "There's not too much pressure on us – the more experienced players always tell us that we just have to enjoy it and show what we can do."
"We're all quite carefree," Schertenleib added. "We just play without overthinking everything."
Wandeler, meanwhile, has been bringing extra joy to the camp with her music, notably accompanying Swiss schlager star Beatrice Egli on piano when she paid a visit to the team. "Her music, her dancing," Djourou said of Wandeler. "She's always so positive, so light, and we're all so happy to have her in the team."
Positive vibes will be useful as Switzerland face a daunting quarter-final encounter with Spain. "The young players bring a certain relaxed energy," said defender Viola Calligaris, 29. "When I was younger, I’m not sure if I was quite that relaxed!"
The teenagers are drawing attention, but this is a very youthful Swiss side; three-time Player of the Match Géraldine Reuteler is only 26, and Riola Xhemaili, who scored the equaliser against Finland, is 22 – the same age as Alayah Pilgrim, who doubled Switzerland's lead against Iceland on Matchday 2.
Long-term, the future looks bright, though wise heads are still appreciated. Switzerland's all-time top scorer Ana-Maria Crnogorčević, 34, noted: "Sometimes, when things get a bit loud and out of hand, you have to play the mother role a little, and say: 'OK, now we need to quiet down a bit again,' but it’s working wonderfully here."