“Getting to the top is easier than staying at the top,” says Sarina Wiegman. And this may be true.

Yet the England coach stands as the ultimate living, breathing contradiction to her own argument. Wiegman, after all, first became The Best FIFA Women’s World Coach in 2017 and, ever since, has continued to dominate her profession’s most prestigious award.

She now has four of them to her name – no-one else has won more the honour more than once – and has also featured among the finalists in each of the last seven years. Anyone, however, expecting that familiarity would breed a blasé attitude to claiming this award would be advised to think again.

“To be honest, I’m a little overwhelmed,” Wiegman told FIFA in her first interview after further extending her record tally. “I’m so honoured that I’ve won this award again and I would never, ever take this for granted.

“I actually didn’t expect it. I’ve had a good run with the England team but lots of teams have done really well and the performances of other coaches have been so, so good.”

Good, yes, but not quite good enough to knock Wiegman off her perch. Pushed, though, for the secrets to her ongoing success, the Lionesses coach responded in typically unassuming fashion.

“I really don’t have any secrets,” she said. “I’m just working hard, trying to do my best to connect with the teams I work with. I’ve also been privileged to work with very good people.”

Mary Earps certainly fits that description, and in being named The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper for a second successive year, she too became an awards record-setter.

This latest honour, which is partially determined by votes from football fans, follows hot on the heels of the England star’s coronation as BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The fact that, too, is voted for by the public is, says her coach, no accident.

“Mary’s a little bit extrovert, so she connects with the fans a lot,” said Wiegman. “And of course she spoke up [about Nike failing to replicas of her goalkeeper shirt ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup].

“But it starts with the performances and she’s had an incredible two years with us. She’s performed to a really, really high level. We’re really happy that she’s in our team, and of course that she’s being recognised tonight.”