Sarina Wiegman says England ‘have so much potential’ after signing new contract

Sarina Wiegman “wants more” and has set her sights on World Cup success after signing a contract extension as England manager until 2027.

The Dutch coach guided the Lionesses to last year’s World Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to Spain in Sydney.

Wiegman, who won the 2023 FIFA award for the best women’s coach on Monday, feels her squad has the ability to go one step further in the competition.

“I’m motivated anyway but we had that disappointment (of losing the final) and we always want more,” Wiegman said on Tuesday after extending her England deal,

“It’s very hard to play finals and it’s not easy but we’ve done very well and want to strive for more and grow.

“I see a lot of growth in this team and I think we can go further than that. The world around us is growing and improving quickly too so we need to be on top of our game and I really like these challenges.

“This is my home away from home.

“Working for England is amazing. The federation is the biggest worldwide and the game has developed here so much and it’s at the highest level.”

England boast a host of young talent and the growth of the Women’s Super League has strengthened competition for places in Wiegman’s squad.

The Lionesses’ manager reiterated the high potential of her players.

When asked if the number of promising young players at her disposal is appealing, the 54-year-old added: “Yes, I think so. We have so much potential.

“We have experienced players and young players coming in and the growth of the WSL too means watching the games is very exciting.

“It is nice to work in England and with the FA and I see a lot of potential.

“I feel like in this team we can grow so much more and I want to do another tournament with this team too.”

Football Association chair Mark Bullingham views Wiegman as the “number one women’s coach in the world” and insisted she is being paid accordingly.

This comes after reports of a pay gap between Wiegman’s £400,000 salary and England men’s manager Gareth Southgate’s £5 million wage in 2023.

Bullingham said: “We won’t give you a number but what I would say is that we view Sarina as the number one coach in the world in the women’s game and we view that she’s being paid accordingly.

When asked if she feels valued as England manager, Wiegman said “absolutely”.