FA chief Bullingham says 'special' Wiegman not for sale

Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham described England boss Sarina Wiegman as priceless when asked about her future with the Lionesses.

Wiegman guided England to their third consecutive major tournament final (World Cup/Euros) following their dramatic extra-time victory over Italy at Euro 2025 on Tuesday.

She is looking to win a third consecutive Women's Euros, having lifted the trophy in 2017 with the Netherlands and repeated the trick in 2022 with the Lionesses. 

The 55-year-old would become only the third manager to win the competition three times, after Gero Bisanz (1989, 1991 and 1995) and Tina Theune (1997, 2001 and 2005). 

England's victory over Italy in the final four - helped by Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly's late heroics - was Wiegman's 100th triumph as a permanent international manager. 

Of those wins, 48 have come with England, and Bullingham is hoping she can add one more to her tally in Sunday's final against Spain, and many more beyond that. 

"I want to pay tribute to Sarina. I think her record individually is phenomenal," said Bullingham, speaking before Sunday's Euro 2025 final against Spain. 

"When I spoke to [the media] before the tournament, I said we were lucky to have her and I still feel that way. I think she has been incredible.

"Her record of managing in five tournaments and reaching five finals is phenomenal.

"I don't believe anyone has been anywhere near that in the past and it will be really hard to do in the future. She's a really special coach and we're delighted to have her with us."

Wiegman is also the first manager in either the men's or women's game to feature in five successive major international finals, including two with the Netherlands at Euro 2017 and the 2019 World Cup.

But England will face a stern test against Spain in a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final, from which La Roja emerged 1-0 victors. 

England and Spain have faced off three times previously at the Women's Euros, with those games coming in the three previous tournaments before 2025. 

Spain won 3-2 in the group stage in 2013, while the Lionesses were victorious 2-0 in 2017 in the group stage and won 2-1 in the 2022 quarter-finals.

Spain could become the first nation to lift the World Cup and Euros at consecutive tournaments since Germany between 2001 and 2009 (five in a row).

They have won their last nine games at major tournaments, with the Netherlands the last European nation to win 10 in a row, winning 12 across the 2017 Euros and 2019 World Cup under Wiegman, who is contracted to England until 2027.

Asked if it would be difficult to retain Wiegman after another successful tournament, and if there was any price that would sway the FA to let her leave, Bullingham said: "No price at all.

"We are committed to her until 2027 and she is committed to us. We have a new [coaching] team coming in for her," he added. 

"We haven't quite started working on the plans for [the 2027 World Cup] but I know her focus, hopefully after success on Sunday, will shift quite quickly to that."