Sarina Wiegman was the "missing puzzle piece" England required to get over the line and win a major tournament, former striker Lianne Sanderson has told Stats Perform.
England Women landed their first major title on Sunday with a 2-1 victory against Germany at Wembley in the European Championship final.
In doing so, Wiegman became the first manager to win the tournament with two different nations, having previously gone all the way with the Netherlands in 2017.
Wiegman, who officially took over as head coach last September, has a record of 12 wins from 12 matches at the Women's Euros.
Sanderson herself went close to winning the competition in 2009, a substitute as England tasted defeat to Germany in the final.
The former Arsenal and Chelsea player, who earned 50 caps for her country, believes Wiegman deserves huge credit for helping the Lionesses end their wait for major silverware.
"I genuinely believe she's the missing puzzle piece," Sanderson said. "She's done it in back-to-back tournaments, both times on home soil.
"You have to have the right players, but also the blend of a good manager, and I think she's shown that.
"A lot of the players said that she didn't really draw upon her experience with the Netherlands, that she wanted to leave it in the past. But the players have been fantastic."
Wiegman settled on a winning formula across England's six tournament matches as they became the first team to name the same starting XI in every match.
The Dutchwoman regularly got the big calls correct, not least in the final as both goalscorers – Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly – were introduced from the substitutes' bench.
Indeed, seven of England's 22 goals came via substitutes when excluding own goals – only Germany (eight in 2009) have scored more in a single edition of the Women's Euros.
And in the view of Sanderson, that decision-making is why Wiegman deserves such high praise.
"Everybody knew their roles and responsibilities," Sanderson said. "That was pretty evident. At times, I thought we should mix up the team, like against Northern Ireland.
"There were times where I thought she'd play Alex Greenwood instead of Rachel Daly [at left-back]. But she's the only manager that's kept the same side and that proved the correct call.
"Last year in the men's [Euro 2020], everybody tried to pick the team. I thought Jack Grealish should be playing, then he didn't play in the final.
"We always say we're all the England manager when it comes to tournaments. But ultimately, that's why they get paid the big money. That's why they're in the positions they're in.
"I genuinely wish she was there when I was there because I think she's been a major, major catalyst in this. And she's not even been there a year."
England's triumph has been hailed as a landmark moment for women's football in England, with the tournament attracting record attendances.
More than 87,000 spectators were present at Wembley on Sunday, and Sanderson believes the perception of women's football has already completely changed.
"I've been so thrilled and blessed to be at all the games for England. I think that yesterday shows you where the women's game is at, where it's going to be," she said.
"It is massive for the women's game. But it's massive for football in this country. It's our first major trophy win [for the men or women] since 1966.
"A lot of people were sceptical. They've got nothing to say now because those people that have those dinosaur mentalities will get left behind, and I just think it's absolutely incredible."
Alcaraz's pursuit for third straight Madrid Open crown continues
Carlos Alcaraz boosted his hopes of a third straight Madrid Open title as he comfortably beat Thiago Seyboth Wild to reach the fourth round on Sunday.
Back in his home country of Spain, Alcaraz eased to a 6-3 6-3 triumph to set up a fourth-round clash with Jan-Lennard Struff, whom he beat in last year's final.
The first six games of the opening set went to serve, but Alcaraz found a crucial break in the seventh and ninth games of the set to put him in pole position for victory, a lead he would not relinquish as he overcame being broken in the seventh game of the second set to seal his safe progression.
Holger Rune was a surprise casualty as the world number 12 was defeated 6-4 4-6 6-3 by Tallon Griekspoor, though world number eight Andrey Rublev eased through with a straight-sets win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Data Debrief
With his triumph over Seyboth Wild at the Madrid Open, Alcaraz has now won 93.3 per cent of his games at the tournament. That is the highest win percentage of any player with at least 10 games played in a single ATP-1000 event since the format was introduced in 1990.
Against Seyboth Wild, Alcaraz won 27 of his 31 first-serve points, also recording 19 winners to his opponent's 10 as he dominated the contest on his way to victory.
Napoli 2-2 Roma: Late Abraham header denies wasteful hosts
A wasteful Napoli were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Roma in Serie A, with a late Tammy Abraham header securing a point for the visitors.
The visitors took the lead from the penalty spot a minute before the hour mark, with Paulo Dybala converting after Juan Jesus fouled Sardar Amzoun.
However, Napoli equalised six minutes later through Matias Olivera's deflected shot, and completed the turnaround with their own penalty six minutes from time as Victor Osimhen tucked away after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was felled by Renato Sanches.
The hosts could not hold on, though, and were pegged back with two minutes to go. Substitute Abraham's header from a corner was eventually awarded following a VAR review after he had initially been ruled offside.
Data debrief
Napoli remain eighth in the Serie A table on 50 points, the exact amount they had registered after their opening 19 games of last season.
Though his penalty was not enough to earn Roma victory, Dybala continued his impressive start to 2024, during which he has been involved in the joint-most goals in Serie A with 12 (nine goals, three assists).
Lyon are through to their 11th Women's Champions League final after sealing a 5-3 aggregate victory over compatriots Paris Saint-Germain.
The record eight-time winners scored three times in the final 10 minutes of last week's first leg to take a narrow 3-2 lead into the return fixture at Parc des Princes.
However, they were quicker out of the blocks in the second leg, with just three minutes on the clock when Selma Bacha drilled home from range for her first Champions League strike in five-and-a-half years.
Tabitha Chawinga responded before the break to reduce PSG's aggregate deficit to a single goal, but Melchie Dumornay put the tie beyond doubt nine minutes from time, as Sonia Bompastor's side set up a final showdown with Barcelona on May 25.
Data debrief
Lyon continued their dominance over PSG in Champions League semi-final encounters, having now progressed from each of their last four such ties.
The eight-time champions lost their first two semi-finals they contested in this competition, but have now won each of the last 10, and will seek a record-extending ninth title in Bilbao next month.
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