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The United States Women’s National Team appears to have a new manager.
And if reports are to believed, they knocked the ball out of the park.
Joseph Lowery of Backheeled.com reports that the US has landed Chelsea women’s manager Emma Hayes to lead the team going forward.
Hayes will leave Chelsea following the completion of the 2023-24 FA Women’s Soccer League season. She’s led the Blues to six consecutive WSL titles and reached the finals of the 2020-21 UEFA Women’s Champions League Final.
Emma Hayes to depart Chelsea at the end of the season.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 4, 2023
The Blues revealed Saturday morning that Hayes would leave the club following the season to pursue opportunities beyond club foootball.
“Chelsea FC can today confirm that highly decorated Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes OBE will depart the club at the end of the season to pursue a new opportunity outside of the WSL and club football,” a press release read.
The news and phrasing immediately led to speculation surrounding the USWNT.
Hayes was linked to the job immediately after previous USWNT manager Vlatko Andonovski resigned. Andonovski left his position following a disappointing Round of 16 exit at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
He previously took over for Jill Ellis, who led the US to World Cup victories in both 2015 and 2019.
Former USWNT star Carli Lloyd ripped the team’s performance even before its eventual elimination.
“I think when I first got onto the team, there was just a level of respect for everybody there,” Lloyd said, “for coaches, for other players, for support staff. You know, massages, trainers, doctors. And as the years have kind of gone by — it’s little stuff, but it kind of amounts to big things — and ultimately affects on the field.”
Those words didn’t sit well with many.
But Lloyd was vindicated by the eventual result.
Now the USWNT looks to rebuild. And it appears ready to do so with one of the world’s top managers at the helm.