SARINA WIEGMAN was honoured with the FWA Tribute Award on a memorable evening at the Landmark Hotel in London on Sunday January 25.
England manager Wiegman received the Football Writers’ Association’s Tribute Award in recognition of her remarkable achievements in winning back-to-back European Championships and becoming an honorary Dame in the New Year’s honours list.
On a star-studded evening, Sarina was in sparkling form and the centre of attention along with her husband Marten. Before receiving the award from FWA Chair John Cross, there were speeches in tribute to her from Mark Bullingham, CEO of the Football Association and Leah Williamson, captain of the Lionesses.
There were video tributes from other England players, as well as Arsenal coach Renee Sleggers, England manager Thomas Tuchel and even FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Last year’s FWA Tribute award winner Dennis Bergkamp also spoke glowingly about his compatriot, and there was a special message from singer Burna Boy, who had surprised Sarina by joining her at the Lionesses homecoming parade last July.
Wiegman, 56, said she was “proud and grateful” to receive the trophy, which has been given to some of the greatest names in football, and was genuinely humbled.
In her onstage chat with the BBC’s Jo Currie, Sarina said: “This is amazing, really special. I feel very honoured, privileged and grateful to be here.”
And in an earlier FWA interview with John Cross, Wiegman said she is already dreaming of more success with next year’s World Cup in Brazil firmly in her sights and the chance of going one better as England lost the final in 2023.
Wiegman said: “Yeah, that really drives me. But you want to win games, that’s the job. But that’s the main goal, winning games. But how to get there, you can’t always control whether you’re going to win or not going to win.
“What you can control is being at your best and being the best prepared and the best bonded team. And that’s what we’re working on every single day.
“And I never take for granted winning. We’ve seen this last summer, how close it is, even in the quarter-final, how close it is to win or lose. But where can you find that edge to just make it happen?
“And you need to be at your best, you need to be best connected and sometimes you need a little bit of luck too. But when you do it, yeah, a lot of times, then it’s not just luck.
“So how big is the chance of making a final? It’s not that big, even when you’re one of the favourites. But I don’t care whether the chance is this big or is this big, I don’t care. We’re going for that chance. And what do we have to do to make that happen?
“So for myself, I said: ‘OK, what do I think that’s necessary to do?’ Not only football, because connecting people is just as, maybe even more important with the talent we have. So that’s what I’m working on now.”
Wiegman led her native Holland to the Euros in 2017 and then did the double with the Lionesses. From the glory of winning at Wembley in 2022, England beat the odds and late drama to go all the way as they beat Spain in the final.
She has cherished her time in charge of England and also how the success has been such a driving force for the women’s game throughout the country.
Wiegman said: “When the final whistle went at Wembley, I will never, ever forget that
moment. The excitement, the excitement and joy that people had in the stands. People crying.
“And everyone would talk about 66. So we broke through a ceiling, I think, with the women’s game, but also for England football. That was so special.”
Her achievements led to her being made an honorary Dame last month in the New Year’s Honours List. Wiegman reveals she took a call from her captain Leah Williamson and that is when it really sunk in about how much it meant.
She added: “Yeah, a little bit surreal, to be honest. Of course, I feel so grateful and so special. And I’ve realised how huge this is in England.
“Leah called me when I was out. She said, well, you know, I want to send a text, but
I’ll call you because it’s so special. And she gave me a huge compliment. I really appreciated that.
“And that made it even more special that your captain gives you a call and says: ‘Well, Sarina, this is really, really special.’
“It’s all about the team, but also as women’s football and there’s so many people that are not visible, have done for years and years, some a little longer than others, paved the way for us. And I’m the lucky one that stepped in at the right moment.”
Sarina Wiegman and Leah Williamson. (Photo Steven Paston, PA)
