Signeul grew up in the town of Falun, Sweden and enjoyed participating in many sports as a child.[5] As a supporter of IFK Göteborg, she drifted towards football and joined local club Falu BS.[1] While still a teenager, she joined IK Brage before spending the majority of her playing career at Strömsbro IF. In total, Signeul made 240 appearances in the Damallsvenskan, the highest tier of Swedish women's football.[1] Although called up to several Sweden national squads, she was never capped for her country as a player.[5]
Coaching career
Signeul began her coaching career at the age of 21 while still a player at IK Brage.[5] She coached at club level including spells at Strömsbro IF and Tyresö FF, and from 1996 worked with the Swedish Football Association as head of the national women's teams at youth level.[1] Under Signeul's tutelage, Sweden came third in the 1998 UEFA Women's Under-18 Championship before winning the competition the following year.[1]
In March 2005, Signeul was appointed as National Coach of the Scotland women's team, replacing the outgoing Vera Pauw.[2] Her first major achievement was leading the country to a qualification play-off for UEFA Women's Euro 2009 which they lost on away goals to Russia. She has also led Scotland to an all-time high of 20 in the FIFA Women's World Rankings.[6] In addition to her position as National Coach, Signeul also has a wider remit in charge of developing the women's game at all levels in Scotland.[5] Signeul announced in January 2017 that she would leave Scotland after the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 tournament to become the head coach of Finland.[7]
After the end of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 tournament, concluded by Finland at the group stage and defeated in all the three matches, Signeul resigned in agreement with Finnish football federation.[4]
References
^ abcde"Anna Signeul". svenskfotboll.se. 14 April 2002. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
