You know what’s mad? Everybody talks about Sarina Wiegman being England’s manager, but so few know that she’s been Marten Glotzbach’s wife for close to thirty years. That’s proper commitment, that is. I was in the pub with my mate Charlie chatting about the Euros last week, and he goes, “That Dutch woman’s done wonders for England.” Too right she has. But what got me wondering was how she is a football genius at the same time as being a mum and a wife. It’s all mental when you really think about it.
The Woman Behind the Tactical Genius
Sarina Wiegman, wife of Marten Glotzbach since 1995, doesn’t just happen to be good at football. She’s transformed the way we look at the women’s game. But you know what really gets me? She’s managed to do it all and keep her family life totally normal. Met Marten in 1994; married him the following year. Talk about having something in mind, blimey! It takes most people longer to buy a new telly. My sister’s mantra is: ‘If women are successful, then we have to give up family life.’ Rubbish, if you ask me. Look at Sarina. Two daughters, a good marriage, and conquered European football. That’s what you call having your cake and eating it.
Marten’s Not Just a Football Husband
People assume Marten just follows his wife around like a lost puppy. Wrong. The bloke has a life; he has been an economics prof and football coach for 20 years around The Hague. Proper credentials, those. Most of the time I think of football couples, I end up with the ones who make a splash for all the wrong reasons in the paper. Not these two. They don’t want to challenge the status quo; they just want to work and seem to be authentically happy. Refreshing, isn’t it?
Family Life in The Hague
Their two daughters, Sacha and Lauren, also play football. Lauren was playing for ADO Den Haag’s youth team, while Sacha is with Sports Club Monster. The apple does not fall very far from the tree, does it? I was watching Sarina during the final of the Euros. The camera caught her for that split second and she looked like an ordinary mum: proud but nervous. That’s what I love about her. Fame hasn’t changed her one bit. Living in The Hague while managing England must be a right pain with all that travelling. But Sarina makes it work. Always has done.
The Real Story
Sarina Wiegman, wife to Marten and mum to two football-mad girls, who still somehow gets time to outthink grown men who cry with her tactical brilliance. That’s proper multitasking. What is striking is how regular they are. No fast cars, no social media beef, no kiss-and-tell tales. A Dutch family that just so happens to be good at football. My wife says all successful couples require space. Sarina and Marten certainly have it. He has his coaching and teaching; she has England. But they’ve been together since the 90s, so something is clicking.
Breaking Stereotypes
You’d think a man would feel a bit bruised by being married to someone as successful as Sarina. Not Marten. He’s been supporting her career ever since she took that full-time job with ADO Den Haag in 2007. That’s a proper partnership. I’ve seen countless football families over the years. Most crumble under pressure. The Glotzbachs? They just get stronger. It’s that Dutch pragmatism, no doubt.
The Private Public Figure
This is one thing that annoys me about football these days: that nothing stays personal. Not Sarina. You talk tactics all day but mention her family and she goes mum? Good luck with that. Smart woman, if you ask me. Leave your family out of the circus. Let your job do the talking. Let the girls have a normal childhood while mum takes over Europe.
What Success Really Looks Like
I’ve been watching women‘s football since my daughter began playing. Watched managers come and go, pledging the world. Sarina just got on with it and delivered everything. But the best bit? She did it all without losing her family. Marten’s still there, the girls are doing well, and marriage is good. That’s what genuine success can be. The media adores a sob story such as work versus family, sacrifice, and struggle. Boring. Sometimes people just make things work because they’re decent, organised, and support each other. Revolutionary concept, apparently.
Future Generations
There is a lot of their mum in Sacha and Lauren when it comes to playing football. Not only the technical stuff but also the mindset, the professionalism, and the fun. That’s what you inherit in the good football families. My nephew plays youth football. Asked him who his hero was and expected him to respond with some Premier League name. “Sarina Wiegman,” he says. “She makes football look easy and fun.” Out of the mouths of babes, eh?
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The Legacy Continues
Sarina Wiegman, wife of Marten Glotzbach, mother of two, and the woman who made English football believe again. Not bad for someone who keeps her private life properly private. That’s the real story. Not the tactics boards or trophy presentations. It’s about a Dutch woman who married her sweetheart, raised two daughters, and somehow found time to become a football legend. Proper inspiring, that is.
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This article beautifully captures Sarina Wiegman’s impact—not just as a coach, but as a true revolutionary in women’s football.