Biography
Who is Sarina Wiegman?
Early life and playing career
Born in The Hague, Netherlands, Sarina Wiegman began playing football on the streets as a child. By age six, she joined the local club ESDO where she competed alongside boys. She later played for HSV Celeritas and joined KFC 71 in 1987, where she won the KNVB Cup. In 1989, she traveled to the United States to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While there, she played for the North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team and won an NCAA championship.
After returning to the Netherlands, she played for Ter Leede. She balanced her sports career with a job as a physical education teacher at Segbroek College in The Hague, a position she held throughout her active playing years. She represented the Netherlands in international matches from 1987 until 2001, officially recording 99 caps. She played as a central midfielder before moving into defensive positions and eventually captaining the national squad.
Transition to coaching
Following her retirement from professional play in 2003, she moved into coaching. She took charge of the women's teams at Ter Leede and ADO Den Haag. In 2014, she became the assistant national coach for the Netherlands women's team. She worked to obtain her UEFA Pro coaching licence, completing the required coursework and an internship at Sparta Rotterdam in 2016. This made her the first female coach to work within a Dutch professional football organization.
She served as interim head coach for the Netherlands women's team before taking the role permanently in 2017. Under her leadership, the team won the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 on home soil. This victory marked the first major honor for the Dutch women's national team. She later guided the squad to a runners-up finish at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Management of England
In August 2020, it was announced that Sarina Wiegman would become the manager of the England women's national team, officially starting the role in September 2021. She remained with the Netherlands through the 2020 Olympics before transitioning to her new position. Her impact was immediate as she led the Lionesses to victory at the UEFA Women's Euro 2022. This trophy was the first for an English senior team of either gender since the men's 1966 World Cup win.
She continued her success by coaching England to a victory at the UEFA Women's Euro 2025. Her consistent performance in major international tournaments has set records for consecutive final appearances by a manager. Throughout her career, she has received several honors, including being named Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau and receiving an honorary Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Personal life
Sarina Wiegman is married to Marten Glotzbach, who is also a football coach. The couple has two daughters named Sacha and Lauren. She resides in the Netherlands and has maintained a long career in sports both as an athlete and a manager. In 2019, the Dutch Football Association honored her by adding a likeness of her to their statue garden, making her the first woman to receive this recognition.
Birthday and age
Sarina Wiegman was born on October 26, 1969, which makes Sarina 57 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Sarina shares the date with 53 other famous people.
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