Who is Sarina Wiegman? Coaching career, tactics, contract and more for England Lionesses boss

Sarina Wiegman sprung into the British public eye in 2022 as the mastermind pitch-side of the Lionesses, with her stoic calls and open communication catapulting England's women to new heights and victories.

Wiegman is well recognised in the sport as one of the best women's coaches in the world, having won the Best FIFA Women's Coach award a staggering four times, and led two teams — the Netherlands and England — to Euros success.

All eyes are on the Lionesses in this competition as they set out to defend their title. Their group stage includes a battle against the Netherlands, the 2017 victors and Wiegman's previous team, meaning that Wiegman's coaching will have to reach new levels to continue to outmanoeuvre the tough opponents at the tournament.

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Who is Sarina Wiegman? 

Sarina Wiegman is the coach of the England national women's football team, the Lionesses.

The Dutch national, who grew up in The Hague, began her football career on the pitch, playing for the Netherlands as a central midfielder from 1987 to 2001. She gained 104 caps, making her the first female Dutch player to reach a century of appearances — although this is technically not recognised by FIFA as five opponents were non-FIFA-affiliated.

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Wiegman retired from professional football in 2003 after the birth of second child and has since become one of the best international women's football coaches. Her career is decorated with silverware, leading both her home team of the Netherlands and most recently England to Women's Euros wins in 2017 and 2022 respectively. That made her the first coach to have two successive Euros titles.

Sarina Wiegman coaching career 

Wiegman's coaching career spans across all levels of the sport, from her initial role coaching a girl's grassroots team in The Hague, to moving to her previous team Ler Leede, and eventually to coaching the national side.

Much like her career on the pitch, she is a Dutch coaching trailblazer: she was the third Dutch female to earn the UEFA Pro License in 2016, as well as being the first woman to coach with a men's professional club in the Netherlands, when she was as an assistant at Sparta Rotterdam for a season.

The power of her coaching and the culture that she creates speaks for itself, as she led her home country to win the Women's Euros in 2017, the year in which she also won the Best FIFA Women's Coach prize for the first time.

Wiegman also led the Dutch to the final of the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2019, where they narrowly lost to the United States 2-0.

Wiegman came into the English set-up after the previous coach Phil Neville's contract ended in September 2021, marking the first time that England's women appointed a foreign permanent head coach. Her impact was immediate, with the Lionesses winning the Arnold Clark Cup less than a year later in February 2022.

However, their famous Euros 2022 win at Wembley was Wiegman's crowning moment that year, leading to her being the first coach to win back-to-back tournaments and "bringing football home" to England for the first time since 1966.

Since that triumphant evening at Wembley, Wiegman's winning influence on England has continued, as they lifted the Arnold Clark trophy again in 2023, as well as the Women's Finalissima in the same year.

She also led the team to the final of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, where they narrowly missed out on the trophy in a hard-fought battle against Spain, who came away with a 1-0 win.

Her unwavering support and stoic presence pitch-side throughout the 2022 Euros led to her being awarded both BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and a CBE.

Sarina Wiegman tactics, style of play 

Wiegman's impact on the Lionesses performances has been nothing short of transformative, with captain Leah Williamson calling her the "missing ingredient" from the English set-up, highlighting that she is a "special person and puts us first as human beings".

This exceptional nature is evident in the 30-match winning streak that the Lionesses built in the first two years under Wiegman's leadership — testament to how powerfully her coaching technique impacts and inspires the team.

Wiegman's tactical approach is one of flexibility, which suits tournament football. Her best sides are disciplined defensive units in which talents are encouraged to enjoy a little more licence going forward.

The straight-talking Dutchwoman is well known for her open, direct, and sometimes brutal style of conversation, but what is most striking in her coaching is the culture of clarity and openness on which she insists.

As much as her calls can be to the point, she actively encourages a strong two-way path of communication, saying: "The players call that direct, but do not confuse that with being blunt. I am not blunt — well, I hope not. I am trying to be honest and clear about things to give them context."

The trust that Wiegman both places and instils in her players is most obvious in their keen ability and confidence to problem-solve mid-match, making the Lionesses adaptable, perceptive, and searingly sharp opponents.

Sarina Wiegman trophies won 

Throughout her coaching career, Wiegman has earned extensive silverware both domestically and internationally, including two Women's Euros titles.

Her personal accolades are just as impressive, including the Dutch Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 2017, a CBE in 2022, four Best FIFA Women's Coach prizes (in 2017, 2020, 2022, 2023) and BBC Sports Personality of the Year Coach Award in 2022. 

Sarina Wiegman contract: How much does she get paid?

Wiegman is contracted until 2027, with her reported £400,000 annual salary making her the best-paid international manager in women's football, with the exception of USWNT boss Emma Hayes.

After the resignation of her male counterpart, Gareth Southgate, following England's Euro 2024 final loss, there were questions about whether Wiegman would make the move across to the men's game, but she insited: "I'm with the Lionesses and very happy."

And this high price is well-placed: Wiegman is internationally recognised as being the very best that women's coaching has to offer, having won Best FIFA Women's Coach on four separate occasions, as well as UEFA Women's Coach of the Year in both 2021 and 2023.

Sarina Wiegman at 2025 Women's Euros

Despite unforeseen dropouts from the widely expected lineup, with the likes of Mary Earps and Millie Bright retiring or removing themselves from selection, Wiegman is adamant that the 2025 Lionesses is a strong steam, saying: "I'm really excited, I think we have so much talent in this team."

Her team selection strikes a fine line between experience and youth, with seven players going to their first major tournament, but veteran talent like Beth Mead and Alex Greenwood also included.

She has received some questions about her decision to include star attacker Lauren James in the team, as she has struggled with debilitating injury throughout the past season, but Wiegman is staunch about her desire to have James' cuttingly sharp presence on the pitch as a key part of her aggressive offensive strategy.

Wiegman has spoken about the new challenge of Euro 2025 — that of approaching this incredibly intense competition with much more scrutiny than there was three years ago. "There are more journalists here that write and show what we are doing," she said. "There's a lot more, but we just have to deal with it, move on and focus on football."

Yet, despite her nerves, there is always an undeniable undertone of excitement in her voice at the prospect, not only at the ever brighter future of women's football, but at the upcoming performance of her team.