UEFA president is criticised for warning England Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman her
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has come under fire for warning Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman that her Coach of the Year trophy was ‘heavy’.
It was the second time Wiegman has been awarded the UEFA trophy and she dedicated it to the Spain side that beat England in the World Cup final.
However, when Ceferin passed over the award at the event in Monaco he said to Wiegman: ‘Be careful, it’s heavy.’
Social media users were quick to slam the UEFA president for the comment.
One wrote: ‘Absolutely no way the president of Uefa said to Sarina Weigman “be careful it’s heavy” when handing her coach of the year. Honestly mate…after the last two weeks you wanna condescend?’
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin presents the Coach of the Year trophy to England manager Sarina Wiegman in Monaco
Sarina Wiegman dedicated her UEFA Women’s Coach of the Year award to Spain
Social media users were quick to slam the UEFA president for the comment
One said it was another example of a recurring event
Another called men in football ‘cringey’ when interacting with women involved in the sport
Another posted: ‘What’s up with men telling women to be careful the trophy they’re about to receive is heavy? Just happened again.’
A third added: ‘Why are men in football so cringey with the women involved in the sport??’
It has been less than two weeks since England’s agonising 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final in Sydney.
However, Spain’s glory has been overshadowed by the ‘Kissgate’ scandal which saw Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales bizarrely kiss star Jenni Hermoso.
Wiegman received the prize from Ceferin after guiding the Lionesses to victory at Euro 2022 last year, as well as the World Cup final this month.
The England boss took the time to blast the Spanish FA and Rubiales during the UEFA ceremony, which was also being held for the Champions League draw.
Wiegman said the ‘Kissgate’ scandal shows there’s a long way to go in women’s football and society
The England manager praised Spain for playing ‘great football’ at the World Cup and said they ‘deserved to be celebrated’
‘Can I send a message, please?’ Wiegman said after answering the host’s initial questions about her successful year.
‘Well, first of all, thanks everyone for voting, especially of course colleagues, it’s really special, I’m very honoured.
‘Also thanks to everyone who’s involved with the Lionesses, of course the team, the incredible team, players and staff and the support from the FA.
‘But it also feels a little different. We all know the issues around the Spanish team, it really hurts me as a coach, as a mother of two daughters, as a wife, and as a human being, it shows the game has grown so much but there’s also still a long way to go in women’s football and in society.
‘I would like to dedicate this award to the Spanish team, the team that played at the World Cup such great football that everyone enjoyed.
‘This team deserves to be celebrated and deserves to be listened to. I’m going to give them a big applause and I hope you will join me.’
Later on stage World Cup winner Aitana Bonmati collected her UEFA Women’s Player of the Year award before also addressing the Rubiales situation.
‘I appreciate the words of Sarina Wiegman,’ she began.
Aitana Bonmati thanked Wiegman as she received her Women’s Player of the Year prize and said that she stands with her colleagues including Spain team-mate Jenni Hermoso
Wiegman dedicated the award to Spain after receiving the prize from UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin
‘These are not good times for Spanish football. The World Cup has not been held as it should be and I would not like to let the page turn.
‘As a society, we must not allow abuses of power in work relations and a lack of respect. I am with my colleagues and with Jenni Hermoso.’
Mail Sport previously reported that FIFA will push for Rubiales to be banned from all football for 15 years after the disgraced Spanish FA president’s own federation dramatically withdrew their support for him.
Spanish FA chiefs asked Rubiales, 46, to resign with immediate effect, saying his ‘unacceptable’ behaviour had caused ‘grave harm to the image of Spanish football’.
The U-turn followed a threat from FIFA to ban Spain’s national teams and elite clubs from international competition if the Spanish FA refused to accept their punishment of him.
Rubiales has been asked to step down by the Spanish FA who performed a U-turn on their president
Rubiales was last week given a 90-day interim suspension by FIFA, and had previously retained the backing of the Spanish FA, pending the outcome of an internal investigation into his extraordinary behaviour in kissing Hermoso.
Following a five-hour meeting on Monday, the Spanish FA confirmed they had now asked him to step down.
Rubiales has defiantly refused to quit until this point, and he sent FIFA a copy of newly released footage showing the women’s football team celebrating and joking about his infamous kiss.
Hermoso has denied claims that the kiss was consensual.