Sarina Wiegman: who is Dutch manager of England Women football team? Career highlights and trophies

England women are currently preparing for the grand finale of the UEFA Women’s Euros tournament which will take place on Sunday 31 July 2022.

England comfortably won all of their group stage matches, beating Austria 1-0, Norway 8-0 and Northern Ireland 5-0.

The Lionesses were then able to pull through against Spain in the quarter-final digging into extra-time to make the scoreline 2-1.

England then faced their toughest opponents (or so they thought) when they took on Sweden in their semi-final fixture but were able to easily put 4 goals in the net to reach Wembley.

In fact, England have remained unbeaten since April 2021, when they lost to Canada in a friendly. They have achieved some of their biggest ever wins in recent months, with much of their success stemming from the appointment of Dutch manager Sarina Wiegman back in September 2021.

Since Wiegman’s appointment after Phil Neville announced he was moving to MLS side Inter Miami, the Lionesses have recorded a 20-0 win, three 10-0 wins and two 8-0 wins.

As England Women bid to win their first ever major trophy, here is all you need to know about the women who is leading them there:

Sarina Wiegman the footballer

Wiegman was born in The Hague, the Netherlands, and at the age of six joined ESDO from Wassenaar where she was playing alongside the boys.

She then joined KFC ‘71 in 1987 with whom she won the KNVB Cup in the same year. While playing for the 1988 FIFA Womens Invitation tournament, she met the head coach of the United States’ Women’s national soccer team who invited her to study at the University of North Carolina.

Here, she played for the North Carolina Tar Heels which was formed in 1989.

Her time in North Carolina was a stark contrast from what she experienced at home where those in her team were forced to work alongside their football career.

Wiegman became a PE teacher and kept her job for the rest of her playing career.

In 1994, Wiegman joined Ter Leede, and won two Dutch Championsips and an KNVB Cup. She retired from playing in 2003 after becoming pregnant with her second child.

In addition to her club career, the Dutch defender played 99 FIFA international fixtures and scored three goals.

Sarina Wiegman the coach

Three years after hanging up her boots, the central midfielder/defender was announced as the manager of Ter Leede.

She led the side to the Dutch Championship and KNVP Cup in 2007 before moving back to her hometown to manage the ADO Den Haag Women’s team which was competing in the newly formed Women’s Eredivisie.

Wiegman led her new team to the Eredivisie title in 2012 as well as the KNVB Cup.

In 2014, the former Dutch international left club football to become assistant coach of the Netherlands Women’s team.

Over the next few years, Wiegman would switch between interim head coach as well as her own role as assistant coach due to sackings and resignations.

She was formerly announced as the new head coach in 2017 and enjoyed a 72% win rate with the Netherlands team in her four years with the side.

Wiegman was awarded the Best FIFA Women’s Coach title in 2017.

Sarina Wiegman, the Lioness coach

Wiegman became the first non-British permanent coach of the Lionesses in September 2021, signing a four-year contract.

Her first match saw England beat North Macedonia 8-0 in a 2023 World Cup qualification match.

She has since remained unbeaten, with only two draws to her name in 17 matches in charge.

The 52-year-old also led the Lionesses to the inaugural victory in the Arnold Clark Cup earlier this year and is now bidding to take them one step further in the Euros competition.

England in Final

England will play either Germany or France in Sunday’s Euros final. The match kicks off at 5pm BST and will be available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.