England head coach Sarina Wiegman named UEFA Women's Coach of the Year after 18 wins from 20 games in charge to lead Lionesses to Euro 2022 glory with 2-1 extra-time win over Germany in final at Wembley in July
Friday 26 August 2022 08:12, UK
England manager Sarina Wiegman has been named UEFA Women's Coach of the Year on the back of leading the Lionesses to the Euro 2022 trophy in July.
Wiegman led England to an unbeaten tournament on home soil in July, including an 8-0 win over Norway in the group stages, a 4-0 demolition of Sweden in the semi-finals and a 2-1 extra-time win over Germany at Wembley in the final.
That win marked England Women's first ever major silverware, and continued Wiegman's own record of success in the competition, having lifted the trophy with her home nation the Netherlands in 2017.
The 52-year-old is yet to be beaten as England manager across her 20 games since taking over last year. She said: "This award is for everyone involved in the England team, the FA, the staff and of course all the players. Things have been set in place since I started with the team in September, things have gone really well, I've really enjoyed it and we've performed at our highest level.
"Our fans have been great too, and thank you to them for supporting us so much. Now we're looking forward again, hopefully we'll qualify for the World Cup next year, then go there and hope to improve our game and enjoy ourselves."
Elsewhere, La Liga and Champions League-winning duo Carlo Ancelotti and Karim Benzema were named Men's Coach of the Year and Player of the Year for Real Madrid's superb 2021/22 domestic and European season.
Ancelotti, who last won the award in 2007, became the first man to lift the Champions League as a coach five times after Real's 1-0 win over Liverpool in the final in Paris in May, having produced stunning dramatic wins in all of the knockout rounds to see off Chelsea, PSG and then Manchester City in the semi-finals.
Receiving his award in Istanbul, Ancelotti said: "I said 'what a night', a lot of times last season; the last-16, the quarter-final, the semi-final. First of all I have to thank a lot of people, my players, my club, my staff and our support for our amazing nights at the Bernabeu.
"I have to thank my president for giving me the possibility to return to Madrid. What's the magic formula? The passion I have for this sport, and the quality of the players I have to manage. Last season was a special season, there was a fantastic connection in the dressing room between the experience of the veterans and the energy of the young players.
"After that there was a fantastic chemistry in the stadium from our supporters, which helped us to manage an unbelievable achievement."
Benzema finished Real's victorious Champions League campaign as the top scorer in the competition with 15 goals, including a sensational hat-trick to bring them back from two goals down and complete a 3-2 aggregate win over PSG in the last 16, and extra-time winners against Chelsea and Manchester City in the quarter and semi-finals respectively.
Ballon D'Or holder Alexia Putellas was named UEFA Women's Player of the Year, ahead of England winger Beth Mead, after a sensational season with Barcelona Femeni, for whom she scored 12 goals in 14 Primera Division games in 2021/22.
