Take a bow Emma Hayes. Less than three months ago Hayes took charge of her first practice with the United States women’s national team, now she’s an Olympic champion head coach.
An emotional Hayes spoke with NBC shortly after her side defeated Brazil 1-0 to win gold. Hayes, who is from London and played for Arsenal’s academy as a teenager, got her first big roles in coaching in the United States.
Emma Hayes gold medal interview
"I love America. It made me."
An emotional Emma Hayes talks with Mike Tirico after achieving gold medal glory at the #ParisOlympics with the USWNT. pic.twitter.com/qZuOVcft31— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 10, 2024
From 2002 until 2010 she coached in the U.S. with the Long Island Lady Riders in the USL W-League, Iona Gaels women’s team and two years with the Chicago Red Stars.
She then went on to coach Chelsea for an incredible 12 years building the women's side from the ground up to become one of Europe's heavyweights. Then came the return to the U.S.
Her coaching roots in America culminated in an Olympic gold with the UWSNT. What a moment.
U.S. Soccer took a major risk going for Hayes. After former head coach Vlatko Andonovski left, the federation decided to go after one of the best head coaches in the world. The only issue was that Hayes couldn’t join the USWNT until May as she was completing her final season with Chelsea.
The risk paid off tremendously. And guess what, she’ll be in charge of the USWNT for another three years. Hayes is the highest paid women’s head coach in the world reportedly making $1.6 million a year.
Worth every penny.
