Williamson praises Wiegman as a “national treasure” after FWA Tribute Award

Sarina Wiegman was honoured by the Football Writers Association (FWA) as the winner of their annual Tribute Award. The Dutch coach has been in charge of the Lionesses for almost five years, achieving back-to-back European titles, and reaching the UEFA Women’s World Cup Final with England. 

At the event, Leah Williamson made a speech as the England Captain. She praised Wiegman and gave an insight into her personality as a coach and a leader, as well as speaking about the legacy of the Lionesses and their initiatives to promote positive change for women and girls in sports.  

There is no doubt that Wiegman inspires the future of English football, as she is at the heart of this new era for women and girls in the sport.  

Humble and inspirational

Williamson was keen to praise Wiegman for her award, alongside the many accolades to her name since behind the Lionesses’ head coach. She recognises that Wiegman prefers to remain behind the scenes and congratulate others on their achievements ahead of herself but insisted that she must be praised for her own accomplishments:

“Any time she is recognised for her individual or her own achievement, she has always turned the spotlight on somebody or something else that she thought maybe needed it more.”

Speaking on behalf of not only her England teammates, but also the many Lionesses’ fans in existence, Wiliamson described Wiegman as a “national treasure” and expressed gratitude for everything she has contributed to English football:

“I think it would be fair to say that Sarina is a national treasure - she’s given us some of the best moments in our sporting history.”

In Wiegman’s own words in an interview with the FWA, she again put the team at the forefront of her achievement. Visibility and recognition for those who sometimes remain behind the scenes are vital for the future of the sport:

“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.”

A leader beyond the touchline  

There is no doubt that Wiegman has created a family-feel within the Lionesses setup, which encourages her squad to remain ambitious and feel valued in camp.

A touching tribute from Williamson including several quotations from her England teammates. As she read the anonymous comments, all praised their manager’s coaching style as both direct but approachable and welcoming:

“She’s genuinely one of the most fair and kind people I’ve ever met. At her core she is an incredibly good human being.”

“She made us appreciate what was in the room. She taught us to look left and right instead of at the opposition. She made sure we were brave enough to complement each other and although unnatural for English people, complement ourselves.” 

Former Lionesses’ legend, Jill Scott also shared some words on Wiegman. Despite playing less minutes in the 2022 EUROs than in previous tournaments for England, Scott expressed gratitude to her coach for making her feel valued and deserving of her place in the squad throughout her time in charge:

“Jill Scott told me that despite being mainly a sub during Sarina’s time, she made her feel valued even when not getting the validation from game time. And every time she stepped on the pitch for Sarina she felt like she could take on the world.”

These are simply a few examples of the belief and passion she instills in her squad, always encouraging them to follow their dreams and enjoy the incredible journey they are on.

The reality of being a Lionesses

Within her speech, Williamson spoke about the reality of being a Lioness. To her, the responsibility lies beyond the pitch: she aims to use the opportunity and platform to create social change, whilst inspiring the next generations of young girls:

“To be a Lioness is to be a fierce, strong-willed woman that accepts the responsibility and uses the opportunity and platform we have to make social change.”

Since their first UEFA Women’s EURO win in 2022, the Lionesses have already created so many positive changes with the future of women in sports at the heart of their campaigns. One example being their letter to parliament, which initiated better and more equal access to sports, specifically football for girls in schools across the UK.

With Wiegman at the helm, alongside her coaching staff, Williamson feels supported an empowered as a Lioness and understands the responsibility upon her shoulders to lead by example and do her country and manager proud. The future is bright for England, as they continue to be motivated and driven to succeed in things valued far beyond the pitch:

“We’re blessed as a team to have group of skilled, attentive and forward-thinking people that surround us on a daily basis, and nobody does anything in football alone.”

Wiegman has driven the Lionesses to a new era and inspired a legacy that will continue to be recognised by the future generations of female footballers in England. The FWA Tribute Award is just another accolade that highlights her importance and influence on women and girls in sports, whilst upholding her humble nature.