Background
Signeul grew up in the town of Falun, Sweden and enjoyed participating in many sports as a child.
Signeul grew up in the town of Falun, Sweden and enjoyed participating in many sports as a child.
As a supporter of IFK Göteborg, she drifted towards football and joined local club Falu Bachelor of Science. 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. Although called up to several Sweden national squads, she was never capped for her country as a player. Signeul began her coaching career at the age of 21 while still a player at IK Brage.
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
Under Signeul"s tutelage, Sweden came third in the 1998 Union of European Football Associations Women"s Under-18 Championship before winning the competition the following year. In March 2005, Signeul was appointed as National Coach of the Scotland women"s team, replacing the outgoing Vera Pauw.
She has also led Scotland to an all-time high of 20 in the Fédération internationale de football association Women"s World Rankings. 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.