FIFA announce finalists for The Best FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year

FIFA announce finalists for The Best FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year

Ayoola Kelechi 21:18 - 09.02.2023

Lyon and England coaches make shortlist as FIFA announce final nominees

Global football’s governing body FIFA has announced the three finalists for The Best FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year, with three strong nominees, all with a solid case for the award. 

FIFA FIFA announced the nominees for the award which could see one of three continental champions scoop the gong for 2022. 

Two-time champion Sarina Wiegman who made history with England finds herself up against Brazil’s Swedish coach Pia Sundhage and Lyon’s Sonia Bompastor as she tries to claim her third FIFA The Best award. 

The list had initially also contained Chelsea’s Emma Hayes, Canada’s Bev Priestman, and German national team coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. Still, it was cut down to the final three nominees after voting by coaches, captains, journalists, and fans. 

Final three nominees for The Best FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year

Sarina Wiegman

Sarina Wiegman ensured that football finally came home after guiding the Three Lionesses to an impressive UEFA Women’s Championship. She became the first manager to win consecutive WEUROS titles with two different countries since she also won the 2017 edition with her native Netherlands.

Wiegman has already won the award in 2017 and 2020 and will be looking to add this year’s trophy to extend her lead as the woman with the most The Best FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year awards. 

Pia Sundhage

Sundhage mirrored Wiegman’s achievement but in South America, with Brazil. She led Brazil to an incredible fourth consecutive Copa America Femenina title but added her record-breaking twist to the win. 

Under her tutelage, Brazil became the first team to win the Copa America Feminina without conceding a single goal as they breezed through the tournament, scoring 20 goals in the process. 

Sonia Bompastor

Former Lyon midfielder and 156-time France international Sonia Bompastor was charged with leading a revolution at Lyon when she was appointed after the team fell from their usual high standards, and she did not disappoint. 

She entered the fray in 2021 after Lyon had failed to clinch either the domestic title which they had previously won 14 times in a row, or the UEFA Women’s Champions League which they had won on five consecutive occasions prior. 

She immeditaley got Lyon firing again, claiming an incredible league and continental double to return Lyon to their pedestal atop the women’s football ladder. 

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