Kuhn, 64, whose team were knocked out of Euro 2008 by Turkey on Wednesday, said he had been told the good news shortly before his side's 2-1 defeat.

"I had two feelings inside me on Wednesday," Kuhn told the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper. "One of huge disappointment because we had gone out the tournament and a great joy because of the surprise news from the hospital.

"My wife has been woken from her induced coma. It is a huge step forward and she is doing much better now. It will certainly take some time still but we can be very confident."

Alice Kuhn was rushed to hospital after collapsing at the couple's home on June 2 just as the Swiss team were reporting in for duty at their Euro 2008 training base.

She was discovered to have suffered an epileptic attack and was placed in an induced coma by the hospital's medical team.

Kuhn, who is due to retire after Sunday's meaningless final Group A game against Portugal, has been making daily visits to his wife's bedside throughout the tournament.