Sarina Wiegman chant during Wales thrashing speaks volumes about the Lionesses

England manager Sarina Wiegman is chasing a second straight Euros triumph with the Lionesses and supporters made their feelings known during Sunday’s win over Wales

Wherever you turned in St Gallen on Sunday, you will have been greeted by a sound which has become very familiar this summer. The slow build-up, the unmistakable horns, the rising voices in the background in unison with the instruments, and then, finally and loudly, one word: “SARINA”.

The take on The Champs’ hit ‘Tequila’ has been performed by football fans elsewhere, with fans of Arsenal’s men’s team having their own version for William Saliba. We say ‘version,’ as if you can really lay claim to a cover of a song with one word.

At Euro 2025, though, it has belonged to the Lionesses’ travelling support. And, after Sunday’s 6-1 victory over Wales, manager Sarina Wiegman – the target of the chant – acknowledged the fans with a wave, as if to say ‘I hear you, I hear your support’.

“Well, yes, it was really nice,” Wiegman elaborated in her post-match press conference. “It doesn’t make me feel really comfortable but they were creative I thought.

“So I thought I will clap a little bit for them. I hope they can sing a lot still in the next couple of weeks.”

Whatever happens in Thursday’s quarter-final against Sweden – and perhaps beyond – the sight of a united front is a welcome one. Whether that’s within the squad, with substitutes involved in plenty of the goal celebrations along with the scorers, or with the fans getting fully behind the manager.

That’s not to say she isn’t respected, of course. Victory at Euro 2022 won Wiegman plenty of fans for life, while FA chief Mark Bullingham emphasised before the tournament that she had the backing of the association regardless of what happens this sumer in Switzerland.

Some wider questions were being asked in the lead-up to the tournament, though. There were individual reasons for Millie Bright, Mary Earps and Fran Kirby not being involved – and those reading a wider pattern into things might have been mistaken – but defeat in the opening game saw some attempt to draw connections and wonder aloud about the Lionesses’ preparations for the tournament.

With the benefit of hindsight, we should be able to recognise how big a role France played in that as well. A narrow 2-1 defeat while far from your best, against opponents who blasted home nine more goals in their next two games: the result doesn’t sound as bad right now as it did at full-time at Stadion Letzigrund.

Before the Wales match, Wiegman was asked about the human side of her job – specifically the way in which she has helped those who haven’t been starting matches (‘the finishers’, as she puts it) still feel part of the group. “Of course then sometimes you check in to see how they are, and they have the responsibility too if it’s hard, or if in any way they need some context or conversations, then they can step to me and my colleagues to have the conversation,” she said.

As for whether this part of the role has become easier with time? “I’ve always been a person that I think connections and conversations and communications are very important, because I think when things are clear – or as clear as possible – it’s good to give clarity and to give context at moments. But of course as a human being I have developed too, so I think I do that a little bit better than I did 15 years ago.”

Wiegman has perhaps been brought out of her comfort zone in this tournament, whether that’s rebounding from a defeat, growing into her off-field tasks, or welcoming a chant which maybe doesn’t naturally make her feel comfortable. One thing we do know is we can expect that same chant to ring out across town on Thursday as England return to Zurich in hope of extending their run and keeping alive that dream of back-to-back titles.

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