In her return to Minnesota a year after taking on the role of U.S. women’s national team manager, Emma Hayes is in the locker room hallways following a press conference with media, taking time to chat with a young family and posing for pictures with their daughters. She’s the one asking playful questions of the little girls, funneling their excitement before politely making her exit after signing souvenir rally towels. It’s a small moment, but it symbolizes how Hayes’ appointment a year ago marked a significant change for U.S. Soccer. She’s a coach, unlike previous managers before her, with a public profile that can compete alongside her star players.

The USWNT has long been a point of pride across American soccer. They’ve built a long history of winning, with four World Cups, five Olympic gold medals, and a constant draw at stadiums they play in around the globe. If the USWNT is a top-viewing sports entertainment for American soccer fans, Hayes is among the headliners.

When Hayes won her first matches as the official head coach of the U.S. women’s national team in June 2024, the expectations were immediately set. The pair of friendlies against South Korea in Denver and Minneapolis last year was just the beginning for the USWNT era with Hayes as its manager.

Accomplished on and off the pitch

Following a disappointing exit from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, U.S. soccer hired Hayes in November 2023, and she was on the sidelines just weeks ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games. The iconic Chelsea FC manager stepped into the USWNT role as a six-time Women’s Super League champion and two-time UEFA Women’s Coach of the Year.

A winning coach for a long-time winning national team, except that the team she inherited was in the midst of transition. Its former superstars either retired or are in different phases of their careers, but even with personnel shifts, the expectation of the USWNT program has rarely changed. You win, and then you keep winning.

One year into her tenure, Hayes has not only met those expectations, she’s exceeded them. She has preached process and patience since her arrival a year ago, and still led the team to Olympic gold in Paris after just 75 days on the job. She has achieved the dual mandate of invigorating roster changes while also winning now.

“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is that you’ve got to maximize the moments you have with the players,” Hayes said about her first year as USWNT manager.

“Because you have so few, and I’ve learned there’s multiple ways you can maximize that, and not just when you’ve only got ten-day camps and big chunks in between. Be innovative about how you can accelerate learning. I’ve always enjoyed innovating ways of doing that, but I definitely think maximizing the moments is the thing I’ve learned the most.”

Following the USWNT’s gold medal run at the Olympics, Hayes quickly set her sights on the 2027-28 cycle, outlining 2025 as a timetable for expanding the player pool by creating “futures camps” to relaunch a dormant U-23 program that can develop alongside senior national team windows.

In her innovative approach, she developed “The WNT Way” with the principle of placing a female lens at the heart of everything they do. The overarching goal is to function as more than just a philosophy; she aims to create sustainable change and opportunities for women through a comprehensive approach. It emphasizes player-focused initiatives but also seeks to enhance pathways for women coaches, referees, and overall care for women athletes.

As the midway point of 2025 arrives, Hayes and her staff will continue building toward the 2027-28 cycle with more fixtures and player reviews. The USWNT is back in the winning column, with more friendlies planned and an eye on World Cup qualifying competitions beginning in November 2026.