Great Britain women name Hege Riise as Olympic Games head coach

Interim England women's football head coach Hege Riise has been named to lead the Great Britain team at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

The Norwegian, an Olympic champion as a player at Sydney 2000, will juggle the role as head coach with her ongoing position in charge of the England team, which ends in September.

Great Britain are due to participate at their first Olympics since London 2012, with the team representing all four constituent football associations – the English, Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish.

The GB squad, which will have to be trimmed to 18 for the Games, will consider players from all four UK home nations.

GB qualified for Tokyo 2020 by virtue of England's semi-final appearance at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

"I know first-hand as a former player just how huge the Olympics are as a tournament," Riise said.

"I am enormously proud to have this opportunity to lead the GB squad into the Games. 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. "

(Top photo: Supplied by the Football Association)