During her time at Chelsea, Hayes was known as a ruthless winner, willing to make sacrifices and tough decisions along the way, leading Chelsea to five successive Women’s Super League titles from 2019 to 2024.
The club’s 2022 DAZN documentary showed her giving a team talk in which she vowed to replace players and “find better players” if they underperformed. was.
Off the pitch, Hayes regularly leads conversations on women’s health, covering issues as diverse as the menstrual cycle and player welfare.
Chelsea captain and England defender Millie Bright once described Hayes as a “mentor, friend and life coach”, adding: “Playing for her was so much more than just football.” .
Wiegman has a similar ruthlessness.
She wasted no time naming England’s new captain when she took over, handing the armband to Leah Williamson and removing Steph Houghton from the Euro 2022 squad.
But there’s also the pragmatism of Wiegman, a meticulous planner who was described as a “workaholic” by experienced Dutch director Foppe de Haan.
Striker Beth England said in 2023: “She lets us know when things aren’t right, and she’s not shy about being savage and brutal when necessary.”
Wigman was a teacher before coaching, and some have called her a “motherly” figure as she protects her players.
“The reality is that my life before Sarina Wigman and my life after Sarina Wigman are completely different,” goaltender Mary Earps said last year.
