London-born Emma Hayes is always grateful to be in the US to do coaching jobs. Having started her coaching stint with the USL team Long Island Lady Riders, the former Chelsea had stated that the US has given her more opportunities than her birth land. During her emotional speech in the aftermath of Team USA’s Olympic gold win, coach Hayes revealed she has been having more fun in the US camp than in her previous job.
The US Soccer’s YouTube channel has shared a behind-the-scenes video in the backdrop of the USWNT’s gold medal win. In it, we could see coach Emma Hayes consistently laying bare the importance of ‘enjoying’ together as a team before pursuing big wins. “I think the importance of joy. I know you hear me express it, and I mean it,” said Hayes. She then went on and compared her one month in the USWNT camp to that of her last few years with the English giant Chelsea.
“I’ve honestly had more fun in the last month than I for sure have had in the last few years. And, I want to thank you for that. You brought so much joy back into my heart,” Emma Hayes added.
The British coach notably has been a part of Chelsea from 2012 and she only left the team this summer in 2024. When she left, Hayes won Chelsea its fifth Women’s Super League title in England. Yet, the 47-year-old holds the Team USA camp more dear to heart. It isn’t that surprising either, considering she has earlier valued the USWNT’s Olympic gold above her Chelsea silverware.
When Emma Hayes rated Olympic gold above 15 title wins with Chelsea
When Emma Hayes took the USWNT’s reigns, it was in real bad shape. The US team’s disheartening 2023 World Cup exit cast shadows over USWNT’s Olympic prospects at that time. Yet, coach Hayes and Co. managed a clean streak at the Paris Olympics and took home the gold. As a manager, she thinks that medallion was the peak of her storied career. “Chelsea has been my love. Every trophy I won with that club is dear to me. But this professionally is probably much bigger than anything else I have ever done,” Emma Hayes said.
The London-born coach has notably won 15 titles in England with Chelsea. This vast collection of trophies includes a staggering 7 WSL titles. But the national team is a different ball game. And what better way than an Olympic gold to prove coach Hayes’ might at the international stage? Having successfully completed the first step of the USWNT’s redemption, the British boss now eyes the US-hosted World Cup in 2026. To prepare well for that, the USWNT has a list of friendlies in its pipeline. These take place in October and November. Hayes will face her homeland, England, in a November friendly. Let’s see if the USWNT carries forward the Olympic momentum during those games.
The post Emma Hayes Thanks USWNT for Giving Her Something That Outshines Her 12 Years at Chelsea & It’s Not Olympic Gold appeared first on EssentiallySports.
