Chelsea manager leaves WSL for new challenge
Emma Hayes, the most successful coach in the history of the Women’s Super League (WSL), has announced her departure from Chelsea to take charge of the US women’s national soccer team. Hayes, who has won six WSL titles and five FA Cups with the London club since 2012, will become the highest-paid female coach in the world with the USWNT.
Hayes said she was leaving Chelsea with a “heavy heart” but also with a “sense of excitement” for her new opportunity. She thanked the club, the players, the staff and the fans for their support and loyalty over the years. She also expressed her gratitude to the US Soccer Federation for trusting her with the role of leading the most successful women’s soccer team in the world.
Hayes will replace Vlatko Andonovski, who stepped down after the USWNT’s disappointing last-16 exit at the World Cup in the summer. Hayes will take over the team ahead of the Olympics in Paris next summer, where the USWNT will aim to reclaim the gold medal they lost to Canada in Tokyo.
Hayes brings experience and success to USWNT
Hayes is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the women’s game, having transformed Chelsea into a dominant force in England and Europe. Under her guidance, Chelsea became the first English team to reach the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in 2021, where they lost to Barcelona. Chelsea also won the domestic treble in 2020 and 2021, and the quadruple in 2018.
Hayes has worked with some of the best players in the world, including USWNT stars Sam Kerr, Crystal Dunn and Tobin Heath, who all played for Chelsea in the past year. Hayes has also developed young talents such as Fran Kirby, Erin Cuthbert and Niamh Charles, who have become key players for Chelsea and their national teams.
Hayes has a reputation for being a tactically astute and innovative coach, who adapts to the strengths and weaknesses of her players and opponents. She is also known for being a passionate and motivational leader, who inspires her players to perform at their best. Hayes has a strong connection with the US, having played and coached in the country before moving to England. She holds a US passport and has a son who was born in the US.
USWNT faces challenges and opportunities under Hayes
Hayes will inherit a USWNT that is in a period of transition and uncertainty, following their worst ever World Cup campaign. The USWNT, who had won the previous two World Cups in 2015 and 2019, were knocked out by Sweden in the round of 16 in 2023, ending their 44-game unbeaten streak. The USWNT also failed to win the SheBelieves Cup and the Tournament of Nations in 2023, losing to Brazil and Australia respectively.
Hayes will have to deal with the aging of some of the USWNT’s key players, such as Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd, who are all in their late 30s. She will also have to integrate new and younger players into the squad, such as Catarina Macario, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman, who have shown great potential in the NWSL and abroad. Hayes will also have to cope with the increased competition from other teams, such as England, France, Germany and the Netherlands, who have improved their women’s soccer programs in recent years.
Hayes will have the opportunity to make history with the USWNT, who have won four Olympic gold medals and four World Cups, more than any other women’s soccer team. Hayes will aim to lead the USWNT to their fifth Olympic gold medal in Paris in 2024, and their fifth World Cup title in Australia and New Zealand in 2027. Hayes will also seek to restore the USWNT’s reputation as the best and most entertaining team in the world, with a style of play that reflects her vision and values.
