It was an emphatic start to 2024 for Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses as they swept Austria aside in Algeciras. Braces from Alessia Russo and Beth Mead and goals from Grace Clinton, Jess Carter and Rachel Daly saw them earn a 7-2 victory.
The news that every England fan was waiting for came on Tuesday when it was announced that Sarina Wiegman had signed a much anticipated contract extension. It is a deal that will see her remain as Head Coach of the Lionesses through to the end of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, including next year’s European Championships and the following Nations League campaign. Her assistant Arjan Veurink has also extended his stay.
“I didn’t want a biography…I said it shouldn’t be about me. But when you write a book then it is about me. I wanted it to be about the development of the game, about women and inspiring.”
Anyone who has spent time listening to or interviewing Sarina Wiegman will know that this response encapsulates the England manager. Wiegman is someone who always places the team above the individual, often looking slightly surprised by questions about her own successes.
Just over a month on from the World Cup Final in Sydney, England earned an edgy 2-1 victory over against a reinvigorated Scotland. In a game littered with controversy, goals from Lucy Bronze and Lauren Hemp were enough to see the Lionesses through, despite Kirsty Hanson narrowing the deficit just before the break.
Brisbane was the stage for an edgy night as England narrowly avoided elimination against Nigeria. It took a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out for the Lionesses, reduced to ten after Lauren James saw red, to eventually see off a spirited Nigeria and reach the World Cup quarter-finals.
Expect the unpredictable seems to be the new mantra for Sarina Wiegman’s side. After a vivacious performance in front of a partisan Adelaide crowd, the Lionesses progressed to the Round of 16 in style with a 6-1 victory over China. A brace from Lauren James and goals from Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Rachel Daly completed the rout. The Chinese pulled a goal back through a controversially awarded penalty that Wang Shuang duly converted.
With just 50 days until the start of the FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer, Sarina Wiegman has named her 23-player England squad ahead of the trip to Australia. Bethany England returns to the fold, while six players – Esme Morgan, Niamh Charles, Katie Zelem, Laura Coombs, Lauren James and Katie Robinson – will be part of a major tournament for the first time.
If there was any doubt about whether England’s form would dip after a prolonged break, it was swiftly put to bed on Thursday night. A 4-0 victory saw Sarina Wiegman’s side sweep past Korea Republic as they mounted their defence of the Arnold Clark Cup. Korea Republic’s manager, Colin Bell, called the Lionesses “the best team in the world at the moment” as goals from Georgia Stanway, Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo and Lauren James sealed the three points.
Games do not come much bigger than this – the European Champions against the World Champions in front of a sold-out Wembley under the lights. Lionesses’ manager, Sarina Wiegman [SW], and newly-crowned Player of. the Year, Beth Mead [BM] sat down with the media ahead of another major challenge for the England side.
“You never get bored with winning,” stated an elated Sarina Wiegman as her England team maintained their unbeaten run to book a coveted spot at the 2023 FIFA World Cup. A 2-0 victory against a resilient Austrian outfit saw the Lionesses top Group D with a game to spare.