Wiegman wins UEFA Coach of the Year award, Putellas retains player title

By Sports Desk August 25, 2022

England manager Sarina Wiegman has carried off the UEFA Women's Coach of the Year award after leading the Lionesses to victory at the European Championship.

Wiegman steered England to what was only the nation's second-ever major international honour, the other being the men's victory in the 1966 World Cup final. It saw her win the Euros for the second tournament in a row – previously steering her native Netherlands to glory.

Fresh from naming her first England squad on Wednesday since the Euro 2022 victory, Wiegman was unable to attend the event where she pipped Germany manager Martina Voss-Tecklenburg and Lyon's Sonia Bompastor to the honour.

Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas took the UEFA Women's Player of the Year honour for the second season in a row – becoming the first to do so.

Putellas missed the European Championship due to a knee injury but played a key part in Barcelona's success in 2021-22, securing a domestic double and reaching the final of the Champions League.

The midfielder netted a league-high 18 goals and also finished as top scorer in Europe with 11 goals, though her team lost to Lyon in the final.

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    James’ former clubs Burnley and Swansea – where he spent 13 years of a colourful 19-year senior career – were among those to pay tribute to a gifted player who won 54 caps for his country.

    “We are sorry to hear the news of Leighton’s passing,” Burnley chairman Alan Pace said of James, who had three spells at Turf Moor and scored 81 goals in 399 appearances for the Clarets.

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    “Swansea City is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Leighton James at the age of 71,” read a club statement.

    “The gifted winger, widely-regarded as one of the Swans’ finest players, was a key figure in the side that secured a first-ever promotion to the top-flight in 1981, scoring a stunning goal in the victory over Preston North End at Deepdale to complete the club’s rise.

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    James’ 10 international goals included the match-winning penalty against England in the 1976-77 British Home Championship – Wales’ only ever victory against their neighbours at Wembley.

    The Football Association of Wales posted on X: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that @Cymru international Leighton James has sadly passed away.

    “Amongst his most famous moments with the dragon on his shirt was scoring a penalty in a famous win over England at Wembley in 1977.

    “He was a star of the only Cymru team to top a qualifying group before going on to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 1976.”

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    Both Burnley and Swansea have confirmed they will wear black armbands in their respective matches against Sheffield United and Huddersfield on Saturday as a tribute to James.

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