83 days is all it took Emma Hayes to re-establish the USA as the dominant force in women’s international soccer.
That was the time between the 47-year-old leaving Chelsea and leading the US women’s national team to Olympic gold on Saturday. In one sense, Hayes has already achieved what she was hired to do.
Of course, the Olympics isn’t the Women’s World Cup and 2027 is when the true measure of Hayes’ USWNT will be taken after failure in 2023 under Vlatko Andonovski. Nonetheless, Paris was the first test for his new generation of American stars under a new leader and they passed with flying colours – that colour in the end being gold.
Mallory Swanson netted the winning goal in the final against Brazil and many will remember the USWNT’s Olympics success for the attacking magic it produced. Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Swanson all sparkled, scoring all but two of the 12 goals notched by the USA over six matches in total.
The truth, however, is that the USA’s defence gave them the foundation to win gold. Australia and Germany were the only opponents to score against the eventual winners and those goals came in USA victories. Three clean sheets in three knockout games highlighted the strength of the American defence led by the outstanding Naomi Girma who Hayes calls “the best defender [she’s] ever seen.”
At their exhilarating best at the Paris Olympics, the USA were a force of nature. Germany bore the brunt of that in the group stage, losing 4-1 as the American attacking quality came to the fore. By the time the two teams faced each other again in the semi-finals, though, the dynamic had changed. The USA had become the ultimate tournament team.
Hayes faced questions throughout the tournament over her team selections. While other sides rotated to cope with the brutal schedule that saw teams play every three days, Hayes stuck with the same core group of players. Indeed, eight players started every single match for the USWNT as Hayes focused on building “connections,” as she put it.
Those connections ultimately carried the USA the distance. Tierna Davidson and Girma forged a rock-solid partnership in central defence. Emily Fox and Rodman were on the same wavelength on the right side. Then there was the aforementioned trio of Rodman, Smith and Swanson whose movement and cutting edge made them impossible to stop.
“It’s the greatest moment in my professional career,” said Hayes after the USA’s win over Brazil. The former Chelsea boss spoke about how quickly she has been embraced by the squad she inherited this summer and highlighted her inherent connection to the country she now leads. “I love America,” she added. “It made me.”
And Hayes has remade the USWNT as standard setters at the top of women’s international football. Under Andonovski, there was no structure. There was no identity. There was no vision. In less than three months, Hayes has brought all of those things with Olympic gold the first sight of what this new-look team could achieve over the coming years.
Further improvements will be required for the USA to win the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Lindsey Horan, for example, was guilty of sluggish play in possession at times during the Olympics. Hayes’ decision to drop Rose Lavelle for the more defensive-minded Korbin Albert for the final also hinted at uncertainty over the midfield balance.
As well as Crystal Dunn played in France this summer, she will will be 35 by the time of the next Women’s World Cup. Alyssa Naeher will be 39. Hayes has continued a generational transition that started under Andonovski, but that transition is not yet complete. The USA need some key players in key positions to emerge.
Talent, however, has never been a problem for a country with the best women’s football infrastructure in the world. By 2027, Jaedyn Shaw will surely have been better integrated into the national team. Alyssa Thompson will have more caps to her name and Mia Fishel will have continued her development.
The rest of women’s international football laid down a challenge to the USA at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The likes of England and Spain demonstrated how Europe has caught up with both teams expected to be contenders once again in 2027. In the past, the USA’s superior physicality was enough for them to dominate. That is no longer the case.
It was against this backdrop that Hayes was appointed by US Soccer. Her remit is a long-term one and will be judged over a number of years, not just one tournament. Despite this, nobody expected the USWNT to be this far along in their growth under Hayes. Imagine how good they could be after more than 83 days together.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every USWNT game on FotMob. Download the free app here.