Sarina Wiegman

Sarina Petronella Wiegman was born on October 26, 1969, in The Hague, Netherlands. Her football journey began early, playing on the streets and later joining local clubs GSC ESDO and HSV Celeritas. In 1987, she joined KFC ’71, winning the KNVB Cup that same year. Her talent led her to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989, where she played for the North Carolina Tar Heels women’s soccer team, achieving an NCAA championship in 1989 alongside notable players such as Mia Hamm. Upon returning to the Netherlands, she balanced her playing career with a role as a physical education teacher at Segbroek College.

From 1994 to 2003, Wiegman played for Ter Leede, where she contributed to two Dutch championships in 2001 and 2003, and another KNVB Cup win in 2001. She also represented the Netherlands national team from 1987 to 2001, earning 99 official caps and captaining the team. Her international career included participation in the 1988 FIFA Women’s Invitation Tournament. After retiring as a player in 2003, Wiegman transitioned into coaching. She managed Ter Leede to a Dutch championship and KNVB Cup double in 2007. She then led ADO Den Haag Women to an Eredivisie title and two KNVB Cups in 2012 and 2013, establishing her reputation as a successful coach.

Wiegman’s coaching career progressed dramatically when she became assistant coach of the Netherlands women’s national team in 2014. After an interim role, she was appointed head coach in 2017, leading the team to a historic UEFA Women’s Euro title, the nation’s first major honor in women’s football. She followed this by guiding the Netherlands to the FIFA Women’s World Cup final in 2019. In 2021, she took over as manager of the England women’s national team, leading them to victory in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, securing England’s first senior international trophy since 1966. Her tenure with England has also seen her guide the team to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final and back-to-back UEFA Women’s Euro titles in 2022 and 2025, solidifying her status as an elite international coach and the first-ever men’s or women’s manager to reach five consecutive major international tournament finals.