'In Sarina we trust' - Wiegman ushers in England's Golden Age

SYDNEY : England failed to even qualify for the Women's World Cup in the year Sarina Wiegman retired as a player but two decades later the former Dutch defender-turned-coach and her Lionesses stand on the brink of a first world title.

Wiegman was hardly an unknown when she became England manager in 2021, having led the Netherlands to their first major title at Euro 2017 and then to the World Cup final two years later.

Yet the transformation of the Lionesses since then has been nothing short of remarkable, with a Euro triumph on home soil last year and now a first World Cup title-decider against Spain in Sydney on Sunday.

"She's not bad, is she?" defender Lucy Bronze said of the quietly-spoken 53-year-old coach after the semi-final win over co-hosts Australia.

"To have done it with her home nation must be something she's incredibly proud of, to win the Euros back-to-back was astonishing."

The word "genius" is often bandied around the Lionesses camp, while the phrase, "In Sarina we trust" has become a mantra back in England among fans and pundits.

"She's a phenomenal coach, she's a genius, she doesn't get enough credit, she's great to play for," full back Rachel Daly enthused.

"Great to work under, she's so honest and her knowledge about the game is a joke, as is everybody on the staff."

Wiegman's football journey started when she cut her hair short as a girl to blend in with the boys playing in her hometown of The Hague.

Apart from a stint abroad at the University of North Carolina, where she played for the Tar Heels, Wiegman spent her entire playing career at Dutch side Ter Leede, winning two league titles.

She represented her country more than 100 times, but before the national federation had invested significantly in the