Sarina Wiegman says she hopes her latest accolade will encourage more women to pursue careers in football management after becoming the first woman to be named Dutch Coach of the Year.
The England manager, 56, received the award at the Netherlands’ annual sports gala, organised by the country’s Olympic and Paralympic committees, in Arnhem on Wednesday.
Wiegman’s honour comes just days after she was named women’s coach of the year for a fifth time at the Fifa Best Awards, and after also winning the women’s coaching prize at the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony in September.
“I hope I can be an inspiration to a lot of people, especially girls and women,” Wiegman wrote on Instagram “Especially women who like coaching – I’d like to challenge them to do it.”
Since taking charge of England in 2021, Wiegman has enjoyed remarkable success, leading the Lionesses to back-to-back European Championship titles. England lifted the trophy on home soil at Wembley in 2022 and successfully defended it this summer in Switzerland with a penalty shootout win over Spain.
She also guided England to the World Cup final in 2023, where they were narrowly beaten by Spain in Sydney.
Before her move to England, Wiegman spent four years as head coach of the Netherlands, steering her home nation to European Championship glory in 2017.
“Go after your dreams,” she added. “It’s such a beautiful profession connecting people and getting the best out of yourself and your team, at any level.”
