Top 9 Women Coaching International Women’s Soccer
Nothing excites me more than seeing women succeed in top soccer positions. It’s one thing to celebrate the success of a women’s team; it’s even better to celebrate knowing a woman also leads the team. Although the status of women coaching U.S. soccer is growing, these trailblazing women are making their mark leading international women’s soccer.
Bev Priestman
Our first international women’s soccer coach is Bev Priestman. Priestman is the head coach of the Canada Women’s National Team. She led the team to a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held this past summer.
Before being appointed head coach, she had previously worked as an assistant coach of the CANWNT. Additionally, Priestman worked for England’s women’s national team and their U-17 squad.
Emma Hayes
Manager of the Chelsea FCW since 2012, Hayes is the longest-serving manager in the WSL. The reigning champs in the WSL have earned a lot of hardware under her lead, including ten major trophies.
In January 2022, Hayes was named Best FIFA Women’s Coach. In October 2021, she joined the Barclay’s FA Women’s Super League Hall of Fame.
Her contract with Chelsea was renewed indefinitely, showing loyalty between her as a coach and the team. She will now have the help of assistant coach Tanya Oxtoby, former head coach of Bristol City.
Asako Takakura
Asako Takakura has an insane record of winning the AFC Women’s Coach of the Year Award six times–every year from 2012 to 2018 except 2016. She worked her way up from coaching the Japan U-17 and U-20 teams to eventually becoming the first female head coach of the senior national team.
As of 2023, she now coaches the Shangai WFC in the Chinese Women’s Super League.
Sarina Wiegman
Sarina Wiegman, head coach for the England Women’s National Team, is the only female coach to be named Best FIFA Women’s Coach twice. She took the position in 2021 after successfully leading the Netherlands Women’s National Team.
The Dutch women won the Euro 2017 and made it to the 2019 Women’s World Cup finals under her management. She was the first woman to reach 100 appearances during her years playing with the Dutch National Team.
As the head coach for the England team, she led the Lionesses to a Women’s Euro championship in 2022 and back-to-back Arnold Clark Cup victories.
Sonia Bompastor
Sonia Bompastor is the first female manager for Olympique Lyonnais! Bompastor signed as head of Lyon in 2021 on a two-year contract. She played for the club for several years, winning three French cups, two Champions League titles, and six league titles. She also served as captain for the French National Team for two years. As manager, she’s kept nearly an 85% win percentage.
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg
Former player turned head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg keeps the German Women’s National Team ranking high. They currently sit at number two in the world. Voss-Tecklenburg represented Germany 125 times and won four European Championships during her playing career. Before taking over the German team, she coached the Swiss Women’s National Team and led them to their first-ever Women’s World Cup in 2015.
Pia Sundhage
Pia Sundhage has coached all around the globe. She retired from the Swedish national team as a forward and a top goal scorer in 1996 and began her coaching career after that.
Her first head coach gig was with the USWNT from 2008 to 2012. As of 2019, she’s coached the Brazilian women’s national team and helped develop them into a serious threat this World Cup cycle, including winning the Copa América in 2022.
Jitka Klimkova
Klimkova took over as head coach of New Zealand in 2021 on a six-year contract. Though she represented her home country as a defender for the Czech Republic Women’s National Team, she is no stranger to New Zealand.
Klimkova formerly managed the New Zealand Women’s U-17 team and was an assistant coach for the U-20 team. Eyes are on her now as New Zealand is co-hosting the Women’s World Cup in 2023.
Milena Bertolini
Last but certainly not least of our international women’s soccer coaches is Milena Bertolini. Bertolini has known nothing other than Italian soccer. She played and coached in various Italian clubs and is now the head coach of the Italy Women’s National Team.
As a coach, Bertolini won the Supercoppa Italiana four times and Coppa Italia three times, among many other awards. She recently led the Italians to the finals of the 2022 Algarve Cup and helped them qualify for the World Cup this summer.
While these women continue to pave the way for more women coaches globally, we can sleep well knowing international women’s soccer is making positive strides.
Featured image via Getty Images
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