England coach Wiegman has learned to enjoy the good times
If England's women's coach was reserved when hired in 2021, she said she has grown into the role, and her passion has been on full display at the Euros, particularly through two nail-biting knockout victories in which the Lionesses were on the brink of elimination.
"First of all, my English has improved, so I understand a lot more, but also you learn more about people you work with," she said on Friday. "You learn more again about yourself and while I'm always working on developing the team, I always try to keep developing myself.
"What I really wanted to do over all these years is try to enjoy it a little bit more, you have to be focused in this job, but you need to celebrate the moments that are good, it's really nice."
As England get ready to contest their third successive major final on Sunday, when they face world champions Spain in the Euro 2025 showpiece, Wiegman's players have described her as a second mum -- direct and demanding but caring and supportive.
Ella Toone said the coach has been kind-hearted in the midfielder's first major tournament after the death of her father. Aggie Beever-Jones said after England's loss to France in their Euro opener, Wiegman put a consolatory arm around her and explained her reasons for not playing her in the game.
Midfielder Keira Walsh called her "one of the best managers I've played for in terms of trying to make everyone feel loved".
"It's a really difficult job when you're in a tournament, and obviously people want to play, people aren't, but she really, really cares about the human side," Walsh said.
"Another thing that you notice when you play for her is how calm she is. It makes a massive difference in the 95th minute when you're losing 1-0, and you look to the side and she's very calm."
Wiegman said the job can be a difficult balance.
"I'm a caring person, so maybe that's the part, I care about them but at the same time I'm the coach, I'm making these hard decisions at the moment," she said.
On Sunday, Wiegman will become the first person, in men's or women's soccer, to have coached teams in five consecutive major tournament finals. The 55-year-old, who is under contract through the 2027 World Cup, guided her native Netherlands to two finals before continuing that run with Euro 2022 champions England.
Football Association executive Mark Bullingham said they will not let Wiegman leave for any amount of money, and Wiegman certainly does not sound like she is going anywhere.
"I'm sorry, I'm still learning English but yes I have (fallen in love) with England," Wiegman said. "Otherwise I would not be sitting here with such a smile on my face.
"This team has always shown so much resilience, I see that in abundance and I see that entirely through the prism of the Lionesses. They are absolutely the most resilient of people. They really want to work so hard and are so committed." REUTERS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
29 minutes ago
- Straits Times
India have not ruled out Bumrah for the final test, coach says
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: Cricket - International Test Match Series - Fourth Test - England v India - Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester, Britain - July 26, 2025 India's Jasprit Bumrah looks on Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes/File Photo MANCHESTER, England - India head coach Gautam Gambhir said they had not ruled out playing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the final test against England at the Oval this week as they look to avoid a series defeat. Bumrah has already played three tests in the series, the maximum workload team management had targeted for the bowler after he spent three months on the sidelines with a back injury before returning to action in April. India snatched an unlikely draw in the fourth test at Old Trafford on Sunday but trail the hosts 2-1 in the five-match series. "We haven't had any conversation around the combination for the last test," Gambhir said. "No decision has been made on whether Jasprit Bumrah will play or not. Ultimately, whoever plays, they will try and do the job for the country." India captain Shubman Gill suggested it might be left up to Bumrah to make the call. "If he feels like he's fully fit and available for us, I think it would be a great deal for us," Gill told the BBC. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after LTA tests Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Authorities say access to Changi intertidal areas unaffected by reclamation, in response to petition Singapore SIA flights between S'pore and Cambodia, S'pore and Thailand, operating normally amid border dispute Singapore Police statements by Jipson Quah in fake vaccine case involving Iris Koh allowed in court: Judge Singapore New Mandai North Crematorium, ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15 Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng Singapore With regional interest in nuclear energy rising, S'pore must build capabilities too: Tan See Leng India went into the fourth test with a depleted bowling attack having rested the injured pace duo of Akash Deep (groin) and Arshdeep Singh (hand). Bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy had already returned home after a knee injury cut short his tour. Anshul Kamboj made his test debut in Manchester but Gambhir said they would have a full set of fit bowlers at their disposal for the test at the Oval, which begins on Thursday. "All the fast bowlers are fit," Gambhir said. "There are no injury concerns." However, India will be without stumper-batter Rishabh Pant, who has been ruled out of the series finale after fracturing his foot while batting in India's first innings in Manchester. REUTERS
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
India have not ruled out Bumrah for the final test, coach says
MANCHESTER, England :India head coach Gautam Gambhir said they had not ruled out playing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the final test against England at the Oval this week as they look to avoid a series defeat. Bumrah has already played three tests in the series, the maximum workload team management had targeted for the bowler after he spent three months on the sidelines with a back injury before returning to action in April. India snatched an unlikely draw in the fourth test at Old Trafford on Sunday but trail the hosts 2-1 in the five-match series. "We haven't had any conversation around the combination for the last test," Gambhir said. "No decision has been made on whether Jasprit Bumrah will play or not. Ultimately, whoever plays, they will try and do the job for the country." India captain Shubman Gill suggested it might be left up to Bumrah to make the call. "If he feels like he's fully fit and available for us, I think it would be a great deal for us," Gill told the BBC. India went into the fourth test with a depleted bowling attack having rested the injured pace duo of Akash Deep (groin) and Arshdeep Singh (hand). Bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy had already returned home after a knee injury cut short his tour. Anshul Kamboj made his test debut in Manchester but Gambhir said they would have a full set of fit bowlers at their disposal for the test at the Oval, which begins on Thursday. "All the fast bowlers are fit," Gambhir said. "There are no injury concerns." However, India will be without stumper-batter Rishabh Pant, who has been ruled out of the series finale after fracturing his foot while batting in India's first innings in Manchester.
AsiaOne
2 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Bend It Like Beckham sequel in the works, Entertainment News
A Bend It Like Beckham sequel is in the works. The 2002 sports-drama movie — which starred Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra — is widely credited with inspiring a generation of women to play football, and director Gurinder Chadha thinks now is the perfect moment to launch a sequel. The 65-year-old filmmaker told the BBC: "We've been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters." The England women's football team have enjoyed significant success in recent years and are currently preparing to take on Spain in the final of Euro 2025. Gurinder observed that attitudes towards women's football have changed since the first movie, but she admits that more progress is still needed. She said: "A lot has changed since the original movie, but I think that people still don't think that women should play football. "There are people who still don't take it seriously, although the Lionesses are riding high. "I've left it a while, but I thought, look at the Euros, look at the Lionesses." Gurinder hopes the sequel will spread a positive message and "challenge" stereotypes. The director explained: "What I did was say you can do what you want, and you can have it all, and I think that's a really great message to put out again. I think there's still stuff to say, and stuff to challenge." Bend It Like Beckham proved to be a big moment in Keira Knightley's career, but the actress previously revealed that her friends scoffed at the idea of making the movie. During an appearance on The Tonight Show, Keira told host Jimmy Fallon: "I literally remember telling people I was doing it and it's called Bend It Like Beckham, and them going, 'Oh that's really embarrassing'. And they were all like, 'Don't worry. Nobody will see it. It's fine.'" The actress noted that "women's football was not as big" in 2002 as it is now, and so her friends assumed that the movie would flop at the box office. She said: "Women's football was not as big back then, and so the idea of the whole thing was sort of ridiculous." Despite this, the film proved its doubters wrong, earning more than US$70 million (S$89.6 million) at the box office and even inspiring a musical adaptation of the movie. And Keira — who also starred in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise — is still constantly reminded of her role in the movie by fans. She said: "It's amazing because it's still the film even today, you know, if someone comes up to talk to me about my work, it's that one. It's so loved. It's amazing." [[nid:720616]]
