Sarina Wiegman named BBC Coach of the Year again after Lionesses conquer Europe

Sarina Wiegman has been crowned BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year for the second time after leading England to another slice of history with their Euro 2025 triumph.

The England boss guided the Lionesses to back-to-back European Championship titles with a dramatic final win over Spain, sealing England’s first ever major trophy on foreign soil. No England side, men’s or women’s, had managed that before, which tells you plenty about the scale of the achievement.

Wiegman, now 56, was already a trailblazer when she became the first woman to win the award back in 2022. This latest honour makes her the first woman to collect it more than once. “It’s an absolute honour to be here again,” Wiegman said on the night. “This award is for the players and staff. I have been part of a tremendous team, an incredible group of players and staff.”

Since taking over from Phil Neville in September 2021, Wiegman’s impact has been relentless. She delivered England’s first major trophy at Euro 2022 with that famous 2-1 win over Germany at Wembley, then took the Lionesses all the way to the World Cup final in Australia in 2023, where they narrowly lost 1-0 to Spain.

Euro 2025 tested England in a different way. They rode their luck at times, showed serious grit and became the only nation in the competition’s history to have three matches go to extra time in the same tournament. By reaching the final, Wiegman became the first manager in men’s or women’s football to reach five consecutive major international finals, stretching back to her Euro 2017 success with the Netherlands and the 2019 World Cup final.

The final itself was another epic. England drew 1-1 with Spain after extra time in Switzerland before winning 3-1 on penalties, with Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton saving two spot-kicks. The win also made Wiegman just the second manager, after Germany’s Christina Theune, to lift three successive European Championships.

“What made an absolute difference is that we were the best-bonded team,” Wiegman said. “We were so together. The togetherness in this team was so special and it was incredible to be a part of. Every coach – especially every female coach – enjoy yourself, have fun. You can absolutely make a difference.”

England’s success this year has brought more silverware for Wiegman off the pitch too. She was named women’s coach of the year at the 2025 Ballon d’Or and won the women’s coach prize at the Fifa Best Awards for a record fifth time, underlining her grip on the game at the top level.

She now joins a small and elite list of multiple-time winners of the BBC award, alongside names like Arsene Wenger, Sir Dave Brailsford and Sir Gareth Southgate. With another major tournament cycle already underway, Wiegman’s influence shows no sign of fading, and England will again head into the next challenge believing they belong right at the top.