While discussing her latest roster selections, Emma Hayes was asked to reflect on it all. It has been almost exactly a year since she arrived as U.S. women's national team coach. With an Olympic gold in her back pocket and now with the experience of starting a fresh cycle, this was a time to take stock.
"The truth is I'm in love with my job every day," she said, then detailed the best aspects of the role - the challenges, the leadership lessons, the culture. And ahead of upcoming friendlies against China and Jamaica, Hayes' favorite part? The opportunities.
This camp will represent exactly that for many: an opportunity. Hayes named a 24-player squad for these two matches, which will be held on May 31 and June 3. The roster features a key return, two first-time call-ups, a further uncapped player and a whole lot of young faces, all of whom are looking to take their own leap toward the 2027 Women's World Cup.
The USWNT split a pair of friendlies with Brazil in April, winning the first match 2-0 before falling 2-1 in the second. Facing Brazil wasn't going to be easy, and that proved to be the case. The games marked a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal match, so there was a lot on the line despite it being labeled a "friendly." Yet given that the 2027 World Cup is still two years away, Hayes made it very clear that once again she would be experimenting with players - because she can.
The USWNT isn't a finished product, and it isn't meant to be at this point in the cycle. For Hayes, the player pool continues to expand, and this camp will give her a chance to learn multiple lessons about those in it.
GOAL takes a look at the five big takeaways from Hayes' squad selection.
