Coach Sarina Weigman: The Secret to Winning Two Consecutive Euro Titles with Different Teams
If you don’t know the name by now, you should. Sarina Weigman made football history this July as the first coach to win consecutive Euro titles with two separate countries after leading England to take the 2022 European Championship. Weigman coached the Netherlands to victory just five years ago in the same tournament.
Let’s explore this legendary coach’s history with both championship sides, and her journey from UNC standout to one of the biggest name’s in advancing the women’s game.
Rising to the Top With England
Weigman started as the England head coach in September 2021. In ten short months, Weigman made history with this team as they clutched their first major title and won the Euros on their home turf.
England played high-quality football throughout the entire tournament. The team beat tough opponents Norway, Spain, and Sweden with a solid showing defensively and offensively. The team headed into their final match on a 19-game winning streak and beat Germany 2-1 in overtime at Wembley Stadium.
In addition to the squad’s obvious success, individual players like Beth Mead, Chole Kelly, and Georgia Stanway have thrived under Weigman’s leadership. Mead was nominated for the Ballon d’Or and UEFA Player of the Year, and Weigman for UEFA Coach of the Year.
England’s players credit their ability to play freely and try new things to Weigman’s calm and honest demeanor. Weigman ensures her team always feels trusted and respected but also is clear and stern with them when they aren’t performing their best. As a result, her players say she makes them feel confident, which is essential to creating a powerhouse team.
Setting High Standards With the Netherlands
Weigman proved her leadership prowess with her home nation, Holland, before she joined the Lionesses.
The trailblazer made history with the Netherlands as the first woman to coach the Dutch side, leading them to a historic UEFA Euro victory in 2017. In addition, Weigman was named FIFA’s Best Woman Coach of the Year.
Two years later, the Netherlands achieved runner-up in the Women’s World Cup. The Dutch team previously only qualified for The World Cup for the first time in 2015.
How Sarina Weigman won consecutive Euro Titles with Different Teams (profile)
Playing Days
Weigman attended college in the U.S. and was a cornerstone playmaker for Anson Dorrance at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 1989.
The quality and passion in the American game inspired her to return and join a club in her home country, Ter Leede, where Weigman won two championships and a KNVB Cup Title.
On the international stage, Weigman began playing for the Netherlands National Team at 16. She eventually captained the team and earned 104 caps for her country. Moreover, Weigman was the first Dutch footballer, male or female, to reach their 100th cap.
Managerial Career and Coaching Style
Weigman retired from playing in 2003, but the soccer world had not heard the last of her.
Weigman got her coaching license and coached at Ter Leede and ADO Den Haag before entering the Netherlands National Team as an assistant coach.
She was the third Dutch female to earn the UEFA Pro Licence in 2016 and was the first woman to coach with a men’s professional club in Holland.
These iconic statistics speak for themselves. And, what’s more, Weigman taught physical education in conjunction with playing and coaching football. Her desire to advance the women’s game globally and her passion for people and soccer-specific expertise allows her to create an environment in which players are excited to challenge themselves and sacrifice for the team. This particular combination of skills and passions is what seems to make Weigman a unique and unparalleled role model for young players.
A Legacy Established
Sarina Weigman is already hailed as one of the biggest trailblazers in women’s soccer history on the playing and coaching sides. Her consecutive 2022 European Championship Titles with Netherlands and England are the latest in a long journey of challenges, accolades, and accomplishments for this pioneering coach.
Her analytical eye, commitment to bettering her players and the game as a whole, and positive and calm coaching style make her both a successful coach and a person young players look up to. And she’s changed the game of soccer for the better.
“Over time [the game] has changed, I think it’s so nice to see how the game has developed, but also because of focus because the players can focus on their football careers which makes them even better,” Weigman said.
One thing is certain: Sarina Weigman has been an instrumental and incredible force in developing the women’s game in her home country and internationally. Her coaching expertise is a gift to the game of soccer. We look forward to the rest of Sarina Weigman’s career and are grateful to her for what she’s accomplished thus far.
Featured image via @lionesses on Instagram
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