90min

FA Confirm Sarina Wiegman as New England Women Manager From 2021

By Jamie Spencer

Sarina Wiegman will succeed Phil Neville as England Women manager
Sarina Wiegman will succeed Phil Neville as England Women manager / Soccrates Images/Getty Images
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Sarina Wiegman has been officially appointed as the new England Women manager to succeed current Lionesses boss Phil Neville at the end of his contract next year.

Neville’s departure was announced earlier this year following the postponement of the Women’s European Championship on home soil by 12 months until 2022.

Phil Neville's departure was confirmed in April 2020
Phil Neville's departure was confirmed in April 2020 / Andrew Redington/Getty Images

With Wiegman remaining in her current job in charge of the Netherlands until after the completion of the delayed Olympic tournament next July and August, the home Euros will mark her first major international tournament as England manager.


Neville will stay in charge of the Lionesses until July 2021, but a decision is yet to be made as to who will lead the Great Britain team, which the FA presides over, at the Olympics.

Wiegman has agreed a four-year contract with the FA that will run until 2025 and includes the next Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, as well as Euro 2025.

Having been in charge of the Dutch national side since early 2017, Wiegman guided the team to glory at Euro 2017 on home soil and also later the final of the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.

Wiegman's Netherlands won Euro 2017
Wiegman's Netherlands won Euro 2017 / TF-Images/Getty Images

Wiegman also enjoyed a successful playing career, becoming the first woman to play more than 100 times for the Netherlands. As a coach, she was later the first female coach employed at a professional Dutch club when she was assistant reserve team coach at Sparta Rotterdam.

“I’m delighted and honoured to join England Women next year,” Wiegman said.

“England is the cradle of football and the major developments in women’s football globally over recent years have been led by the FA. I’m very much looking forward to contributing my experience and expertise to this ambitious team.

Wiegman has coached professionally in the men's game
Wiegman has coached professionally in the men's game / ANP Sport/Getty Images

“The ride with the ‘Oranje Lionesses’ has been amazing so far, but we haven’t reached our final destination yet. There are two more goals: qualifying for the UEFA Women's EURO in 2022 and challenging at the Olympics next summer. That would be a fitting completion for me of everything we've strived to achieve in women’s football in my home country.

“I am extremely excited by the prospect of leading England Women in the future, but for now I am one hundred percent focused on Oranje. I Will do my utmost to add another chapter to their remarkable journey before making my next step.”

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