Ladies & Gentlemen: European Championship side glances

Even if it goes against the zeitgeist, there are a few things about women's football that are still annoying. For example, the fact that many female commentators still automatically lower their voices a few steps, the fact that players simply copy the gestures (skipping, lawn dive) of their male colleagues during victories instead of coming up with their own – and the fact that vanity is totally frowned upon among female coaches. While male football coaches and their looks offer plenty of material for gossip and interpretation, from German style icon Jogi Löw to all the Italians in their far too-tight suits that always hilariously hinder their wild gesticulations – female coaches have long behaved like some Sepps in the 70s. Jogging pants, functional T-shirts, anoraks.

One person who's finally doing things differently is Montserrat Tomé. The manager of the Spanish team has brought a strict pantsuit with an equally strict white blouse underneath into the coaching area. The pants and jacket are nothing special, and the combination with the taupe Adidas Samba sneakers doesn't indicate any particular interest in fashion . But what this woman has understood is that what you wear always sends a message: to the team, to the opponent, to the world. The fact that Tomé underlines her message so perfectly with her always deadpan expression is extraordinarily great. It is: We're not here to have fun, we're here to win. So far, it's worked.

As a male spectator, Christian Wück could certainly become a quiet role model during the European Football Championship in Switzerland. Regardless of the sporting results, he seemed from the sidelines like the ideal coach for a women's team, if the position absolutely had to be taken on by a man. Because this constellation is, of course, a little tricky in principle. With a demonstrative alpha male, as is common with men, you would definitely get an uneasy feeling and almost expect them to soon act too cocky, demand too much attention for themselves, or even resort to some form of assault at some point. But Wück was also a youth coach for a long time, has two daughters of his own, and somehow you can see that he can strike the right tone in such groups – friendly yet distant, approachable, but not intrusive.

Incidentally, the term “tonic masculinity” is currently being coined on TikTok, which is supposed to be the opposite of toxic. Even in terms of appearance, Christian Wück leaves the spotlight entirely to the ladies; his look is soft and defensive, yet not unsmart: high-quality sweaters and trousers in the same shade of black or navy without a shirt are an underrated everyday combination that flatters every man – especially if his skin is a bit tanned, his hair is grey, and he tends to have a more normal, comfortable body shape. The look isn’t banally sporty, but it’s also not a tough suit, which could easily come across as too bossy, especially in a women’s sports context. No, Wück’s trainer’s uniform reflects the smooth nature of a man who is at peace with himself and his job. And that’s a good thing.