Women’s World Cup highlights a shortage of female coaches

SYDNEY, Australia (AP):

Sarina Wiegman is in a unique position at the Women’s World Cup, where she is the only female head coach still in contention for the title.

That was the case even before England advanced to the semi-finals, by beating Colombia 2-1, with Wiegman also the outlier from the eight teams that reached the quarterfinals.

“Of course what we hope is to get more female football coaches at the top level and the balance gets better than it is right now,” Wiegman said. “Of course males are welcome, too. There are lots of males who have done a very good job in the women’s game, but if the balance is better, that will also inspire other women to start coaching.”

Women’s football is growing at pace. This World Cup has seen record attendance, rising talent from around the globe and showcased a closing of the gap between the sport’s traditional elite and emerging nations.

Of the 32 nations that started the tournament, 12 had a woman as head coach. Three advanced to the round of 16. Hege Riise’s Norway team and Desiree Ellis’ South Africa team lost in the first knockout stage.

At the 2015 World Cup, eight teams had a woman as head coach, a number that increased by one in 2019. So it’s an improvement in terms of numbers, although the tournament was expanded from 24 to 32 teams for this edition.

It is also worth noting that female coaches have more than held their own at the top of the women’s game. The last two World Cups were won by teams coached by Jill Ellis, who led the Americans to back-to-back victories in 2015 and ’19.

Under Vlatko Andonovski, the United States had their earliest exit in the history of the tournament by going out at the round of 16.

Wiegman led her native Netherlands to the 2019 final and appears to be taking over from Ellis as the premier coach in international women’s football.

She won back-to-back European titles with Netherlands and England in 2017 and 2022. Now she is closing in on a second successive World Cup final.

England forward Alessia Russo said Wiegman’s presence is important to the growth of the game.

“We always say about inspiring the next generation and to go on and play football and getting as many young girls involved as possible,” she said. “To know that they can be a coach as well and see Sarina on the biggest stage is incredible.

“She’s one of best managers I’ve ever played for, so to have her as our leader and our role model - we really appreciate it.”

Wiegman is more than just a figurehead.

England appointed her to replace Phil Neville in the belief she would take the Lionesses to the next level.

She has done that and stands as the national team’s most successful coach for men or women since Alf Ramsey led England to the men’s World Cup title in 1966.

If England win this tournament, she will become the first England coach to lift multiple major trophies.

While Wiegman wants greater parity in the coaching ranks, the rapid growth of the women’s game is likely to attract more men. Tony Gustavsson, the head coach of the Australian team that England will face in the semi-finals, was recruited by the Matildas after two successful stints as an assistant coach with the US women’s team.

France turned to two-time Africa Cup of Nations-winning coach Herve Renard to take over the national team just four months ahead of the World Cup. He had just produced one of the biggest upsets in men’s World Cup history by leading Saudi Arabia to a win over eventual champion Argentina.

And the more elite coaches involved in the women’s game would likely raise levels higher.

Randy Waldrum, who was head coach of the Nigeria team, which England edged on penalties in the round of 16, said Wiegman was “doing a fantastic job”.

“Since she took over, you’ve seen the progression of the team. I give a ton of credit to her and what she’s done,” he said. “Her pedigree speaks for itself.”