2023-08-20 08:44:09
The England women’s team, at the top of world football, is reaping the fruits of an ambitious training policy born in the 2000s. A “good recipe” simmered by a pioneer, Hope Powell, and perfected by the current boss Sarina Wiegman.
In the land of football-king, the English have had various fortunes. The great popularity of charity matches, first, developed by the feminist Florence Dixie, at the end of the 19th century, or the “ammunitionettes” of the Dick, Kerr Ladies FC during the First World War. Then a long banishment of fifty years came from a Federation which, in 1921, considered this sport “completely inappropriate for women”. It then took the flame of Hope Powell, appointed full-time coach (a first) in 1998, to rekindle the hopes of a fairly moribund selection, without means or too many ideas.
“The training of young people in the early 2000s was really crucial”
The former international community fought, often alone, to professionalize the “Lionesses” team: recruitment of a doctor and a scientist specializing in sport, federal contracts ensuring a minimum salary for some internationals, increase in number of matches and, above all, high-level coaching for budding female footballers. “The training of young people in the early 2000s was really crucial,” Charlotte Harpur, journalist for The Athletic, told AFP.
Selections ranging from under 15 to under 23 were then built, with the sports and medical infrastructures of the A team available, cemented by “values” and “a coherent system of play”, namely a tactical scheme in 4-3-3 “used by all age categories except U15”. Thus, “when young people are promoted to the national team, they are comfortable and used to this environment and to what happens on the pitch, because it is identifiable”, summarizes this specialist in women’s football in England.
The Wiegman project
The success of the Lionesses has therefore been maturing for “ten years”, assures Harpur. Big names like Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh or Alessia Russo have all gone through this sieve, used to playing major tournaments very young, she notes. At the same time, a series of reforms carried out in view of Euro 2022 at home have swung the championship into the modern world. Women’s Super League (WSL) clubs must be professional since 2018, with a “general manager” at their head, among others.
This solid and innovative ecosystem convinced the highly prized Sarina Wiegman, 2017 European champion and 2019 World Cup finalist with the Netherlands, to take charge of the English selection in September 2021, with her assistant Arjan Veurink. “What she brought was a clear project”, “serenity” and a discourse of truth. “She has holders, players for the end of the match, substitutes, and everyone knows their role”, describes Charlotte Harpur.
Under his leadership, the English have lost only once (a 2-0 friendly against Australia in April), and above all won a lot: 32 out of 38 matches, including the Euro 2022 final against Germany. (2-1 ap) in front of 87,000 spectators at Wembley, before the World Cup final on Sunday in Sydney against Spain (12 p.m. French time).
“Bright’s hug is that of an entire nation”
In Oceania, she distinguished herself by her sense of adaptation, managing to juggle between the various injuries and suspensions which deprived her of several executives of her workforce. And the 53-year-old technician has made herself loved by her group, as evidenced by the embrace that has become almost ritual with her captain Millie Bright at the end of each match. “Bright’s hug is no longer just his, it’s that of a whole nation,” enthused the English newspaper The Guardian before the final.
The shock to come against the Spanish validates in any case the choices of a federation which has worked for several years to reach this level, with Wiegman as the icing on the cake. “It’s like a millefeuille,” slips Harpur. “There’s the timing, the quality of the players, the coach and the foundations, it’s a good recipe! “.
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