SRF expert analyzes – Rinast: “The boys in the national team are more than just a ‘goodie'” – sport

Switzerland meets Germany on Friday. SRF expert Rachel Rinast on the current topics surrounding the women’s national team and the DFB team.

European Championship runner-up in 2022, Olympic bronze in 2024 – but in between there was also the disappointing preliminary round exit at the 2023 World Cup. Germany has had changeable years. And even if Letzigrund is missing a cornerstone in Alexandra Popp, who has just retired from the DFB team, and the national team was recently able to convince against Australia and France, the world number 2 remains the clear favorite against Switzerland on Friday.

SRF expert Rachel Rinast also sees it this way: “This is a very strong team, both technically and athletically. For me, Germany is definitely a candidate for the European Championship title in 2025.”

Wück new on the line

On the way to the 2025 European Championships, Christian Wück took over the fortunes of Horst Hrubesch after the Olympic Games in Paris. He, who had previously only worked in junior and men’s football, is an exciting choice for Rinast, but also a logical one because he “can deal well with younger players”. And there are quite a few of them in Germany – as well as in the National Team.

Elvira Herzog is supposed to prevent German goals on Friday. After the race to succeed Gaëlle Thalmann after the 2023 World Cup between Herzog and Livia Peng seemed open for a long time, the 24-year-old from Zurich was named Swiss number 1 at the beginning of the week. In Letzigrund – her old home – she will appear for the first time with a new status.

Rinast, who once played with the current Leipzig goalkeeper in the national team, believes that she can easily make the jump to number 1: “I said back when she was 17 or 18 that she had all the requirements and so did I I can very well imagine that she will turn one at some point.” Herzog has the necessary size, “has an incredible charisma and appears very calm.”

Sundhage as key

Star trainer Pia Sundhage also brings calm to the team. Since the Swede took over in January, the mood around the national team has steadily improved – and with it the results. Your recipe for success if Rinast has his way? «Sundhage has a great presence, but doesn’t take up the space for himself, but gives it to the team. And there were never any major arguments internally. That’s why I’m not surprised that things are going better now.”

There are also other current topics in the Swiss camp before the Germany game:

• Injuries: With Luana Bühler, Lia Wälti and Géraldine Reuteler, three experienced players are out of the two tests due to injuries. Coumba Sow could step into the breach on Friday against Germany and then on Monday against England. “She is a player who always works her ass off and plays like a vacuum cleaner in front of the defense. I would be happy if she got the trust.”
• “Youth madness”: Noemi Ivelj, Iman Beney, Sydney Schertenleib and the currently ailing Naomi Luyet will all be under 20 years old when the European Championships begin next summer. Rinast praises the boys in the national team highly: “Anyone who has seen their games knows that they are not just a ‘goodie’, but real reinforcements. They bring a completely different type of football to the team, are very confident with the ball at their feet and are not afraid of dribbling.”