Solheim Cup: Team Europe's players praise Anna Nordqvist after win over Team USA - could she captain again in 2028?

Solheim Cup-winning captain Anna Nordqvist has left the door open for a potential return to the role for Team Europe in the future, having guided the hosts to home victory.

Nordqvist led Team Europe to a 15-13 win over Team USA at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, where they won seven of the 12 singles matches to regain the trophy on home soil.

It capped off an eventful few months for Nordqvist, who previously admitted that juggling captaincy with playing on the LPGA Tour had been ‘a lot more’ than she expected.

Nordqvist announced her playing retirement mid-season in the weeks leading up the Solheim Cup, with the Swede set for time away from golf before deciding her future.

When asked if she would consider taking on the role again in 2028, Nordqvist joked in her victory press conference: “No, I’m retiring tomorrow!”

She added: “You’re never going to say never, but I just need a little bit of time off. I don’t know what my future holds. Obviously I just retired from playing two weeks ago.

“It was hard at times this week to not hit a shot, but it’s really nice and rewarding to see that there’s so many other ways in golf you can stay involved and get the same feeling.

“It’s sometimes it’s even more nerve wracking watching these girls, but then you see how good they are and you just become really impressed.

“Hopefully I can stay involved in golf in one way or another, but I’m going to enjoy a little bit of time off in the next couple weeks and hopefully catch up a little bit of rest – there hasn’t been much lately.”

Could Nordqvist go back-to-back for Europe?

Suzann Pettersen captained Europe in successive Solheim Cups, retaining the trophy with a 14-14 tie in 2023 before losing in 2024, while Catriona Matthew is currently the only European to win back-to-back Solheim Cups as captain.

Matthew guided Europe to a dramatic 14.5-13.5 home win at Gleneagles in 2019 and an away success two years later in Ohio, with the Scot expecting Nordqvist to enjoy this win before looking ahead to a potential return.

“Europe may give Anna [Nordqvist] the choice to carry on,” Matthew told Sky Sports. “An away match is so different, it requires a different type of captaincy.

“You don’t want to hog it too long, as others are waiting. I think you need to let them cherish this one before you look too far ahead.

“The 2028 Solheim Cup will be hotly contested. Europe have some rookies now who you have to think will be the backbone of the team for years to come.”

Nordqvist’s display was praised by her counterpart Angela Stanford, who said she ‘seemed to handle everything very well’ and ‘was a great captain’, while the Swede’s players were quick to praise how she handled captaincy.

“She’s been an awesome captain and I just think the whole week has just been really, really enjoyable,” said Charley Hull, who led out Team Europe in the Sunday singles.

Caroline Hedwall, Mel Reid and Anne van Dam were all vice-captains, while Dame Laura Davies was also part of the team room, with an announcement on who will lead Team Europe in the 2028 edition on American soil not likely until next year.

“A captain is somebody that you’d like to be on tour around players,” former Ladies European Tour player Sophie Walker told Sky Sports News.

“I got the impression that, before this Solheim Cup started, it was one and done (for Nordqvist). But when you win, you just never know, do you?

“There were 12 players in there, three vice-captains and all those helpers that would love Nordqvist to be captain again. I think she’s been really successful not only because she’s won the cup, but successful in the team room as well.”

What’s next?

The next edition of the Solheim Cup will be in 2028 and take place at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky from September 8-10 that year. Get latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW.

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