England face Germany in the final of Euro 2022 at Wembley on Sunday.
Germany eased past France 2-1 on Wednesday night to seal their place in the showpiece after hosts England thrashed Sweden 4-0 in their semi-final the previous evening.
Here we take a closer look at the head coaches of the two remaining nations.
Sarina Wiegman (England)
Age: 52 Place of birth: The Hague, Netherlands Teams managed: Ter Leede, ADO Den Haag, Netherlands, England
Experience
Wiegman is England’s first permanent female head coach since Hope Powell and has outstanding international pedigree. She guided the Netherlands to Euro 2017 glory and reached the 2019 World Cup final. Her managerial career began in club football in her homeland, before she was appointed Netherlands manager on a full-time basis in 2017 following spells as assistant coach and interim boss.
England record
She became England’s first permanent non-British coach when she succeeded Phil Neville last September. She remains undefeated in the role, having won 16 of 18 fixtures. Draws against Canada and Spain en route to lifting the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup early this year are the only winless fixtures of her reign.
Management style
With a direct approach to communication and a serious demeanour, Wiegman has instilled greater belief and resilience in the Lionesses. She is tactically astute, consistent in her team selections and has been likened to men’s boss Gareth Southgate due to her impressive people skills.
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg (Germany)
Age: 54 Place of birth: Duisburg, Germany Teams managed: FCR 2001 Duisburg, FF USV Jena, Switzerland, Germany
Experience
Voss-Tecklenburg won the Champions League – then known as the UEFA Women’s Cup – in 2009 with defunct hometown club Duisburg, in addition to twice lifting the German cup. She gained further Bundesliga experience during a short stint in Jena before making history by leading Switzerland to their first World Cup in 2015.
Germany record
The 54-year-old was a four-time European Championship winner and World Cup finalist as a player. She was hired to rebuild the national team after Germany’s run of six consecutive Euros triumphs was halted in 2017. She conceded the 2019 World Cup, which ended in a quarter-final loss, had come too soon but has since transformed her side into serious contenders.
Management style
Voss-Tecklenburg has imbued confidence in Germany’s players and ensures the basics are performed precisely. Potent striker Alexandra Popp, whom Voss-Tecklenburg managed at Duisburg, is the focal point of a clinical attack and, following injury issues earlier in her international career, is in contention for the golden boot.
