EURO 2025 for Women: A Milestone for Female Coaches

Of the 16 teams participating in this year's tournament, 7 are led by female coaches, accounting for 43.75%. Photo: uefa.com

Of the 16 teams participating in this year’s tournament, seven are led by female coaches, accounting for 43.75%. Although the number of male coaches is still slightly higher, this figure is a big step forward compared to the rate of only 18.75% of female coaches at EURO 2013. By 2017, this rate had nearly doubled, and will remain at 37.5% at EURO 2022.

This year’s 43.75% milestone is seen as a positive sign for the steady progress of women in football leadership roles. The Global Network of Women Coaches said: “Progress is being made – slowly but surely. There is still a long way to go. Change takes time.”

Notably, success has not been an issue for female coaches. In the period from 2000 to the 2023 Women's World Cup, almost all major tournaments such as the World Cup, EURO and Olympics, the winning teams were led by female coaches. Exceptions include Norio Sasaki, who led Japan to the 2011 World Cup, and Jorge Vilda, who led Spain to the 2023 World Cup.

At the 2023 World Cup, Sarina Wiegman was the last female coach to remain, leading England to the final, where they lost to Spain. However, Spain's championship was overshadowed by the scandal of Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales forcibly kissing player Jenni Hermoso during the trophy presentation ceremony.

EURO 2025 welcomes not only veteran coaches but also promising new faces. Ms. Pia Sundhage - the "big tree" of the women's coaching village - this tournament leads the host team Switzerland, after glorious years with the US, Sweden and Brazil. She once led the US to win two Olympic Gold Medals (in 2008 and 2012). Meanwhile, Ms. Rhian Wilkinson - coach of Wales - the team participating in a major women's football tournament for the first time - is one of the female "captains" appearing for the first time in the top arena, alongside coaches Elisabet Gunnarsdottir (Belgium), Nina Patalon (Poland) and Gemma Grainger (Norway).

Despite the remarkable progress in women's football, the proportion of female coaches remains modest in the overall picture of world sports . At the 2024 Paris Olympics, only about 13% of coaches are female, not much different from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Women's basketball leads the way with 50% female coaches, while football reaches 33%, hockey 16%. Sports such as athletics (13%), rugby 7 (8%) and golf (6%) remain very low.

Thanh Phuong (Vietnam News Agency)

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/euro-nu-2025-cot-moc-lich-su-cua-cac-nu-huan-luyen-vien-195512.htm