Tokyo Olympics: Riise to coach British women's football team

The 51-year-old was expected to be part of Phil Neville's coaching staff for the Games and will take sole charge after Neville joined Inter Miami in January.

Hege Riise (file photo) won the UEFA Women's Championship in 1993, the World Cup in 1995 and a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics during an international career that included 188 caps.

Hege Riise has been confirmed as the head coach of Team Great Britain's women's football team for the Tokyo Olympics. The Norwegian is currently in temporary charge of England after Phil Neville left in January to coach Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

During her playing career, Riise helped Norway win Olympic gold at the 2000 Games in Sydney, and she was an assistant coach as the United States won the title in 2012 in London.

Riise will be assisted by former Canada international Rhian Wilkinson, who has been working alongside her at England.

 

“I know firsthand as a former player just how huge the Olympics are as a tournament and I am enormously proud to have this opportunity to lead the GB squad into the Games," Riise said. “We will go there to give everything we have to be successful and I hope we can also use the power of the games to help women’s football continue to grow in popularity.”

 

While the four British nations usually compete as England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in international football, they are allowed to combine as one team for the Olympics.

The team is organised by England, with qualification secured by the run to the Women's World Cup semifinals in 2019.