On Sunday in Basel, England manager Sarina Wiegman will attempt to secure her third consecutive Women’s European Championship title. It will be an achievement that would further cement her legacy as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the women’s game. Wiegman first captured the trophy in 2017 while leading her native Netherlands to a historic victory on home soil.
It ignited a new era of success for Dutch women’s football. Five years later, she repeated the feat with England by guiding the Lionesses to their first-ever major tournament title at Wembley in 2022. On both occasions, Wiegman proved her tactical brilliance by building cohesive, fearless teams. The distinguishing style of her team is that they are capable of outplaying some of the strongest nations in crucial moments of the game.
Following each European triumph, she also steered her teams to the FIFA Women’s World Cup final the following year. But she fell short in both matches. The Netherlands were narrowly beaten by the United States in 2019, while the England side suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Spain in the 2023 final. Now, with history on the line in Basel, Wiegman has a chance to join an elite group of managers with three European titles.
Along with that, she will continue rewriting the record books. And there is another reason for the Lionesses to be happy, as luck is on their side. There is a pattern in Wiegman’s winning history. ESPN FC also reported with fantastic graphics that Sarina Wiegman has won alternative championship titles from 2017 to 2023. So, the fans and experts are anticipating that this will be the year when Sarina Wiegman might win the Women’s European Championship, as in the last championship her team lost the title.
Sarina Wiegman is the first men’s or women’s manager to reach five major international tournament finals in a row
Will her historic run continue with England on Sunday? pic.twitter.com/LzJTWiyku3
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 26, 2025
Talking about this opportunity to clinch world championship titles again, Wiegman said, “I think that in every tournament, you want to perform and there are expectations, but you also have expectations for yourself. I just know that going into a final is already very special, and only two teams can make the final. That’s not really pressure.” The England team’s head coach added, “It’s very special, and when you go to a final, you really want to win it too. We are really happy that we’re in the final, and we really want to win it.” She has also talked about their rivalry with Spain. Wiegman said that the Spanish team will learn from them, and they will learn from the Spanish team.
England and Spain have developed a compelling recent rivalry, meeting in several high-stakes encounters. England edged past Spain 2-1 in extra time to reach the Euro 2022 semifinals, handing La Roja a third consecutive quarter-final exit. Spain soon avenged their loss in the most significant way possible when they defeated England 1-0 in the 2023 World Cup final to claim their first title. Since then, the balance has kept both teams in deadlock. Currently, each side holds a narrow one-goal home victory in their Nations League group matches earlier this year.
But if the Lionesses truly want to claim victory through solid strategy, and not just rely on fate, they’ll need to dig deep and raise their game for the final showdown. Recognizing the stakes, USWNT head coach Emma Hayes has stepped in with some pointed advice for one of England’s brightest stars, hoping to influence the outcome decisively.
Emma Hayes’s suggestion to Sarina Wiegman’s team
Emma Hayes, the former Chelsea coach who led Team USA to Olympic gold, shared her thoughts on England’s chances at the Euros. One name that stood out in her analysis was Agyemang. While explaining her thoughts, Hayes wrote, “As good as Michelle Agyemang’s impact has been with her three goals in four caps, it is another jump up to do it from the start. There is so much a starting center-forward has to do other than score goals.” Hayes expanded her view in her article in The Guardian.
Source: Instagram/USWNT
The young striker, Michelle Agyemang, has become England’s go-to weapon off the bench. In the quarterfinal against Sweden, she was brought onto the field when England was down 2-0. She scored the equalizer and helped push the match to penalties, where England won. In the semifinal against Italy, she repeated the magic. Subbed on in the 85th minute, she scored again. Her impact has been huge. But Hayes offered a word of caution. Spain is a different beast. Their control, discipline, and tactical style might make it harder for Agyemang to shine late.
Sunday’s final presents more than just a chance at silverware for the Lionesses. It’s an opportunity for redemption, legacy, and a statement to the world. After falling short in the Women’s World Cup final against Spain two years ago, England now stands on the brink of rewriting its story.
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