Emma Hayes

Emma Hayes is recognized as one of the most accomplished coaches in women's soccer. Appointed as the 10th full-time head coach in U.S. Women's National Team history, Hayes brought extensive experience from more than two decades coaching in both Europe and the United States. During her tenure at Chelsea FC, she guided the club to 16 trophies over 12 years, including five consecutive league titles and the club's first appearance in the UEFA Women's Champions League Final.

Hayes began her coaching career in the United States at the grassroots level, serving as head coach for the Long Island Lady Riders in the USL W-League and later coaching Division I college soccer at Iona College in New York. She was named USL W-League Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Riders to the top of the Eastern Conference. At Iona, Hayes led the Gaels to 22 victories over three seasons, marking the program's most successful three-year stretch. She then joined Arsenal as an assistant coach, contributing to multiple trophy wins, before returning to the United States to coach the Chicago Red Stars in Women's Professional Soccer. Hayes also worked as a coaching consultant for Washington Freedom and as technical director at New York Flash, which won the WPS title with a roster she helped assemble.

Hayes's leadership of the USWNT included guiding the team to an Olympic gold medal in her 10th match, setting a record for the fewest matches coached before winning a major international tournament in women's soccer. The gold medal was secured with a 1-0 victory over Brazil. Hayes received the Ballon d'Or for women's soccer coaches and was honored with the FIFA Best Women's Coach of the Year Award for a second time.

In addition to her achievements on the field, Hayes has been recognized for her contributions to the sport with an OBE for services to soccer in the United Kingdom and an MBE on the Queen's 90th birthday honors list. She was the first woman to win the Ballon d'Or for women's soccer coaches and received the Professional Footballers' Association Merit Award for her impact on women's soccer. Hayes is also the co-author of "Kill the Unicorn," a book that explores her coaching philosophy and experiences.

Hayes has advocated for advancing women's soccer through initiatives such as "The WNT Way," a strategy focused on developing a stronger soccer pipeline and designing training tailored for women athletes. She has emphasized the use of data, analytics, and artificial intelligence to enhance performance, including leveraging insights specific to the women's game. Hayes continues to influence the direction of women's soccer in the United States and internationally.