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England Women appoint Sarina Wiegman as new head coach

England have appointed Sarina Wiegman as their new head coach: Getty Images
England have appointed Sarina Wiegman as their new head coach: Getty Images

England have appointed Sarina Wiegman as their new head coach.

The current Netherlands boss has signed a four-year contract and will take over from Phil Neville in September 2021.

Wiegman guided the Netherlands to victory at Euro 2017 as the host nation and was named Fifa’s best women’s coach in the same year, before guiding them to the final of the Women’s World Cup in 2019.

Her first major tournament with the Lionesses will be the home Euros which will be played across the country in July 2022.

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

“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 Women’s Euros 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.”

The FA’s chief executive, Mark Bullingham added: “We are thrilled to have secured Sarina to lead the Lionesses until 2025. She was the outstanding candidate from a very strong field.

“Having won a home Euros in 2017 and leading the Netherlands to the final of the Women’s World Cup last year, she is a proven winner and we are confident she can take England to the next level, giving us the best possible opportunity of achieving our ambition to win a major tournament.”