Hayes was known during her time at Chelsea as a ruthless winner, leading them to five successive Women’s Super League titles between 2019 and 2024, having been willing to make sacrifices and tough decisions along the way.
It was shown in the club’s 2022 DAZN documentary how, when she delivered a team talk, she vowed to replace her players and “find better ones” if they did not deliver.
Off the pitch, Hayes regularly leads conversation on women’s health, covering a range of issues such as the menstrual cycle and player welfare.
Chelsea captain and England defender Millie Bright once described Hayes as “a mentor, a friend and a life coach”, adding it was “more than football playing under her”.
There is a similar ruthlessness in Wiegman.
She did not waste time in naming a new England captain when she took over, handing the armband to Leah Williamson and leaving Steph Houghton out of her squad for Euro 2022.
But there is also pragmatism from Wiegman, a meticulous planner who was described as “a workaholic” by experienced Dutch coach Foppe de Haan.
Striker Beth England said in 2023: “She tells us when things aren’t right and she’s not shy to be savage and brutal when she needs to be.”
Wiegman was a teacher before her coaching days and she is protective over her players, with some referring to her as a “mother-like” figure.
“The reality is my life before Sarina Wiegman and my life after Sarina Wiegman is totally different,” goalkeeper Mary Earps said last year.
