Hayes was known during her time at Chelsea as a ruthless winner, leading them to five consecutive Women’s Super League titles between 2019 and 2024, having been willing to make sacrifices and difficult decisions along the way.
The club’s 2022 DAZN documentary showed how, when giving a team talk, he promised to replace his players and “find better ones” if they didn’t deliver.
Off the court, Hayes regularly leads conversations about women’s health, covering a variety of topics such as the menstrual cycle and player well-being.
Chelsea captain and England defender Millie Bright once described Hayes as “a mentor, a friend and a life coach”, adding that playing with her was “more than football”.
There is a similar cruelty in Wiegman.
He wasted no time in naming a new England captain when he took over, handing the armband to Leah Williamson and leaving Steph Houghton out of his Euro 2022 squad.
But there is also pragmatism on the part of Wiegman, a meticulous planner who was described as “a workaholic” by experienced Dutch coach Foppe de Haan.
Forward Beth England said in 2023: “She tells us when things are not going well and has no qualms about being wild and brutal when necessary.”
Wiegman was a teacher before her coaching days and is protective of her players, with some referring to her as a “mother-like” figure.
“The reality is that my life before Sarina Wiegman and my life after Sarina Wiegman is totally different,” goalkeeper Mary Earps said last year.
