England manager Wiegman not for sale, says FA's Bullingham

ZURICH :England plan to hang on tightly to coach Sarina Wiegman, with Football Association executive Mark Bullingham saying she is not for sale at any price.

Wiegman, who is under contract with England until 2027, will coach the Lionesses at a third consecutive major tournament final on Sunday, at Euro 2025.

Asked if it would be difficult to retain the 55-year-old after another successful tournament, and if there was any price that would sway the FA to let her leave, Bullingham said: "No price at all.

"We are committed to her until 2027, she's committed to us, and I know that her focus, hopefully after a success on Sunday, will shift quite quickly to '27," he said in a media briefing on Thursday at England's base camp.

Wiegman is the first manager in either the men's or women's game to feature in five successive major finals, including two with the Netherlands, and Bullingham sang her praises on Thursday.

"Her record of ... reaching five finals is phenomenal, I don't believe anyone's been anywhere near that in the past," he added. "I think this could be really hard for anyone to do in the future."

Bullingham shared a hug with Wiegman after England squeezed through their quarter-final against Sweden, scoring two late goals and then coming out on top in a penalty shootout that featured more misses than goals.

Asked what the two shared in that moment, Bullingham laughed and said that it was not "anything that can be shared here."

While Wiegman has been lauded for her remarkable record, she has also been lambasted for her steadfast selection approach during the tournament, with critics arguing for earlier substitutions.

"We've got a really special coach, and I think we should all recognise that," Bullingham said. "The tournament