Could Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman make history with her second World Cup final?

Sarina Wiegman is a household name in women's football. While the Dutch star can boast a successful playing career, it's her time as a coach that has propelled her into legendary status. Let's take a look at her unparalleled journey so far.

During her playing career, Wiegman played for Ter Leede for almost ten years (1994-2003). In that time, she won the Hoofdklasse league twice (predating the Eredivisie women's league) and also won a KNVB Cup.

Wiegman was also a familiar face in the Dutch national team. Racking up a highly respectable 104 appearances for the Orange squad.

After her football retirement, she started her first assignment as a coach in 2006. She took her first coaching steps in a familiar environment – at Ter Leede.

She found success immediately, winning both the league and the KNVB Cup with the club in her first year.

In 2007 Wiegman moved to ADO Den Haag. She would stay there until 2014.

In 2014, the national side knocked on the door. Wiegman became an assistant to Roger Reijners (photo) with the Dutch national team.

In the meantime, she also did an internship at Sparta Rotterdam and obtained the Professional Football Coach diploma.

In 2015, Wiegman got first-hand experience of what it's like to be the head coach of the national side. She was interim coach from August to October, after Reijners was fired.

After the arrival of Arjan van der Laan as the new national coach, Wiegman became an assistant again, but when he was fired she was given a chance to take on the role for good. And she grabbed it with both hands.

The first major appointment for Wiegman and the Orange Lionesses was the European Championship in 2017, hosted by the Netherlands.

The Netherlands performed exceptionally under Wiegman and took the European title. A triumph that was lavishly celebrated.

The members of the Dutch women's team and Wiegman were welcomed as heroes and received the title of Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau.

However, Wiegman and the Orange Lionesses knew they had more to offer. In 2019 they wanted to shine at the World Cup in France.

And they did too, going all the way until the final where The Netherlands were ultimately beaten by tournament favourites the United States.

Wiegman saw no reasons to look for other places after the tournament and extended her contract with the KNVB until after the European Championship in 2021, which would eventually take place in 2022.

In 2020, however, it became clear where Wiegman's future would lie in the coming years. After the Tokyo Olympics, she would move to England, where she would succeed Phil Neville as national coach.

Wiegman had to prepare The Lionesses for the European Championship in 2022 in England. An immense task.

Wiegman was not disappointed. The English women reached the final, in which Germany was the opponent.

The Lionesses took it 2-1 after extra time. Wiegman made history again and got the whole of England partying – picking up the first major football title for the country since the men won the World Cup in 1966.

Wiegman also received various awards in England, such as the Coach of the Year award in 2022. FIFA also named her the best FIFA coach of a women's team that year, a trophy she had won twice before (2017 and 2020).

The many prizes she has already won show what impact Wiegman has already had on women's football. And she wants to keep making her mark.