5 Women Coaches You Should Know More About Them

For a long time, women’s soccer has been dominated by male coaches rather than women coaches. This was during a time when fans hoped to see more women coaches taking charge of the game. As time passed, there have been some consistent women coaches who have been in the game for a long time.

While it’s certainly a good thing that there are some coaches to admire, there is still the fact that there is a lack of women coaches. This could easily be seen in the NWSL. Despite this, we should still celebrate and appreciate the role models we have. Here are 5 women coaches you should know about.

Emma Hayes

A coach we simply couldn’t ignore is Emma Hayes. Spending years at Chelsea, Hayes managed to win several titles with the team, including the WSL league title. Now leading the USWNT, Hayes left behind a legacy that will forever be remembered at Chelsea. With the USWNT, she managed to find her way to success quickly. She led the team to win a 2024 Olympic Gold Medal by defeating Brazil in the final. They also won the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup.

Hayes’ success understandably earned her recognition. In 2024, she won two important awards that highlighted her efforts. During that year, Hayes was named the Ballon d’Or Féminin Coach of the Year and the Best FIFA Women’s Coach. Fans will be waiting to see what Hayes will win next, especially given how she’s already transforming the USWNT. Hayes even commented on the disparity between the number of women Coaches and men coaches. In an interview with the BBC, she said, “We’ve got a lot of work to do to close that gap.”

Sarina Wiegman

England’s Sarina Wiegman is considered one of the most accomplished female coaches in women’s soccer. Her time with national teams has proved how capable she is of improving any team she leads. When she was leading the Netherlands, Wiegman helped them become the UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 champion. She also led them to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, where they were ultimately defeated by the USWNT.

Wiegman’s successes continued when she took charge of England. She managed to win with them the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022. She also helped them reach the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final; they were defeated by Spain. With this achievement, Wiegman became the first coach to lead two different nations to a World Cup final, according to UEFA. She was also named the UEFA Women’s Coach of the Year for the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons. This is just an example of how good she is.

Sonia Bompastor

When talking about women coaches, we have to mention Sonia Bompastor. She was once a player before she became a successful coach. While leading Olympique Lyonnais, Bompastor managed to award the team many titles. Some of the titles she won with them were the UEFA Women’s Champions League in the 2021–22 season, the Division 1 Féminine title, which she won three times, and the Coupe de France Féminine in the 2022–23 season.

After Hayes left Chelsea for the USWNT, Bompastor took charge of Chelsea. In her inaugural season, the head coach found a lot of success with the English side. She won the Women’s Super League title with them after an unbeaten season. They also won the Subway Women’s League Cup. This is just the beginning for Bompastor’s side. They might have suffered a heavy defeat against Barcelona in the Champions League, but that doesn’t mean they won’t contend in upcoming seasons.

Casey Stoney

Another bright name when it comes to women coaches is Casey Stoney. While leading the San Diego Wave, Stoney managed to shape the team into what it is today. She won with them the NWSL Shield in 2023 and the NWSL Challenge Cup in 2024. She was also named the NWSL Coach of the Year. While Stoney met a premature end with the Wave, she wasn’t without a job for long. She was hired as the new head coach for CANWNT. In time, it would be proven that Stoney is the right coach for them.

Laura Harvey

One more coach that you should admire when it comes to women coaches is Seattle Reign’s Laura Harvey. Harvey has been around since the NWSL first started, so she has been a familiar face across different seasons. According to The Athletic, Harvey commented on the lack of women coaches in the NWSL. “I wish there were more female coaches coming. It’s heartbreaking that we have 14 teams in this league and only two female head coaches,” she said.

So far this season, Harvey’s team sits in 8th place in the NWSL table. The season is far from over, and their position might change either for the better or the worse. What will remain true, however, is that Harvey is a coach who has earned the club’s trust. She is one to admire.

Who is your favorite coach? 

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