The whole of England is certain: “We’ll win the European Championship title at Wembley on Sunday!” The nation believes in the footballers – but above all in the coach.
It is possible that Sarina Wiegman is not even aware of the situation in which she is at the moment. Your team, the England women’s national team, is facing a success with historic dimensions: If the English women win the European Championship final against Germany on Sunday (July 31, 2022, 6:00 p.m. CEST/live on the first and on Sportschau.de), it would be the first title for English football since 1966, when one of the most famous goals in history came at Wembley.
“Check their passports!”
On Sunday, Wembley will be the scene again – almost 90,000 fans will be there when England, after three semi-final losses in a row, are back in a major final for the first time since 2009 – when Germany won 6-2. They can’t really believe all that in England yet. “This is not an England team like any other,” wrote the Guardian, adding jokingly: “Quick, check your passports!”
The suspicion that the coach is not aware of the importance inevitably arises on closer inspection of the 52-year-old. “We said before the tournament that we want to inspire the nation and I think we’re doing that,” Wiegman said with her usual sobriety after the semi-final against Sweden (4-0). It is difficult to understand how a senior executive can remain so calm and composed in the current stressful situation. And yet so focused and planned. “They said, ‘Are you ready to make history?’ – I think that’s a bit of history,” she added.
Stayed cool, turned the game
Well, things went by themselves against the Swedes in the semifinals after Beth Mead scored to make it 1-0 after a good half hour. Things were different in the quarter-finals against Spain, when the English were 1-0 down just before the end.
Most coaches would have probably – at least internally – gone crazy on the sidelines. Sarina Wiegman stayed cool. She consulted briefly with captain Leah Williamson, sent defender Millie Bright up front and made two substitutions. As inevitably, these measures were successful – England played in a completely different way – and won the match.
“Always have a clear plan”
“You can’t praise them enough,” said forward Beth Mead, who has six goals in the tournament to her credit. “We always have a very clear plan. And always have a plan B, C and D up our sleeve if things don’t go well.”
Always a plan B in your pocket: Wiegman and her coaching team
As soon as she took over in England in September 2021, when she took over from Phil Neville, Wiegman announced that she wanted to take the team to a whole other level. She had already done that with the Dutch team, which led her to the European Championship title in their own country in 2017. She could now become the first non-German coach to defend a European Championship title.
Hard times for Wiegman
It was really not an easy time for Wiegman. Just a month before Euro 2022, her sister died – she only took a week to mourn with her family. At the time, Wiegman said it showed “how close” the group had grown when the players asked if they could wear mourning ribbons in the first friendly after the shock news. She added: “They are such great people and it shows how close we are. It was a great gesture and I’m sure my sister would have been proud.”
Russo – the one who always hits
For the English team, she decided before the tournament on a tactical 4-2-3-1 formation and always the same starting XI, which she cleverly changes through changes. The best example may be Alessia Russo: Ellen White, England’s record goalscorer, always starts in the middle of the attack.
Russo has always been substituted on – and has always brought new power. With four goals in five games, she is the second-top scorer at this European Championship behind Beth Mead (six goals, five assists) and Alexandra Popp (six goals). England have now gone 19 games unbeaten under Wiegman, scoring 104 goals. A simply great record.
The fun is back
Wiegman, who as a player was once a feared fighter in defensive midfield and made over 100 international matches for the Netherlands, has obviously brought the fun back to the English team in addition to a clear game plan and clear tactical guidelines.
“Have a party!” – Sarina Wiegman
“Celebrate now, but really,” she demanded of her players after the Spain game, when she was allowed to sit on the sidelines again after a corona infection. The party continued after the semifinals. “I almost needed more air in the dressing room than I did in the game,” explained Beth Mead. Along with singing and dancing, pizza and cake are staples of post-match England. And the whole of England is hoping it will all be needed again after Sunday’s final against Germany.