Factfile:
Date of birth: Feb. 5, 1989
Clubs managed: Rosengard, Arsenal
Clubs played for: Willem II, Djurgårdens IF, Linköping FC
Trophies: UWCL (1), FIFA Champions Cup (1), Swedish league titles (2), Swedish Cup (1)
Just a few months into Renee Slegers’ tenure at Arsenal, the home supporters put out a banner titled ‘”Reneesaince.” Such was the impact the Dutch coach created in a short period. The banner proved incredibly prescient.
Not long after, Slegers led the Gunners to Champions League glory.
A mid-season appointment after a torrid run of form, she oversaw a remarkable turn of fortunes that culminated in Lisbon where the Gunners beat favourites Barcelona in the 2025 final.
Slegers lifted further silverware this year, after leading Arsenal to victory in the inaugural FIFA Champions Cup. The regard in which she’s held was evidenced by the new deal Arsenal offered her that runs until 2029.
ESPN takes a closer look at one of the leading coaches in the women’s game.
A distinguished playing career:
While Slegers never reached the top echleons of the game, she still had a solid playing career.
It was a journey that, remarkably, began at Arsenal. Slegers joined the north London club’s academy in 2006 and spent a year training there under current United States boss Emma Hayes, who was heading the academy at the time. She featured for the senior side in a cup competition before eventually returning to Netherlands in 2008.
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Slegers’ career was spent between Dutch side Willem II and Swedish sides Djurgardens and Linkoping. She made her Netherlands debut in 2009, and made more than 50 appearances for the national team as well as featuring in Euro 2013.
Injuries severly hampered Slegers’ playing career. She missed the 2015 World Cup due to a serious pelvic injury that kept her out of the game for more than a year. An ACL injury kept her out of Euro 2017 and the game she sustained it in — against England in a November 2016 friendly — proved to be her final appearance. She called time on her career in early 2018.
Foray into management
Slegers’ managerial career too has its roots at Arsenal. As part of UEFA’s Coach-Mentor Programme, she was paired with Joe Montemurro, who was the then manager of the Gunners. She even partook in a visit to the club as part of the program.
The Dutch coach had spells in charge of the Sweden under-23 side and Rosengard’s B team, before being made assistant coach at the Rosengard senior team under the management of Jonas Eidevall. When he left the club midway through the season in 2021 to take over at Arsenal, Slegers was promoted to the head coach role.
She won successive Swedish league titles at the club before leaving the club in 2023. She joined Arsenal in September that year as part of Eidevall’s staff.
Becoming a European champion at Arsenal:
A poor start to the 2024-25 season saw Eidevall tender his resignation and for the second time in her career, Slegers replaced him as head coach.
She was given the role on an interim basis, and after a run of 10 wins in her first 11 games she was given the job permanently.
Under Slegers, Arsenal mounted an incredible run in the Women’s Champions League. They came from behind to knock out Real Madrid and OL Lyonnes in the quarterfinal and semifinal respectively before pulling off a shock 1-0 win over holders Barcelona in the final. She became just the second manager in the history of the club to win the Women’s Champions League.
