As the FIFA Women’s World Cup approaches, Emma Hayes has a lot on her plate. The USWNT boss has been experimenting with the lineup for quite some time to make sure the upcoming qualifiers set the tone for next year’s big event. Since the SheBelieves Cup, held in February this year, Hayes has been giving newcomers more and more playtime to make sure her roster has no shortage of athletes who can shoulder bigger responsibilities. While the move has been lauded by many fans, debates on whether the move is also creating difficulties in finalizing the lineup have emerged as well. Well, now it looks like the coach is setting the record straight.

In a post on X from October 9, the official USWNT handle shared Hayes’ thoughts on the roster for the October friendlies. Captioned, “Building and developing each and every camp,” the social media update highlights how the seasoned women’s soccer coach is working hard to come up with a definitive lineup. “I’ve really enjoyed this year. I’ve really enjoyed the development of the program, the transitions, especially with our U23 program, knowing we’re regularly developing about 50 players every camp,” Hayes can be heard saying about how the USWNT is actively building future stars.

“What we did really well in the block, from Christmas up until July, was not only give new caps to 24 players, but really get the opportunity to figure out which players are ready for today, and which ones are gonna need more time,” Hayes said about how the USWNT is always on the lookout for new talent. She went on to underscore how the matches against Japan (for the SheBelieves Cup) and Brazil, played in February and April, respectively, helped Hayes and the USWNT to find the right combination.

“I think the losses to Japan and Brazil will serve us well in the future. I think you have to go through that. I think it was the right time to do that. I think it was the right time to experiment with the roster. I think we have a deeper playing pool with more diverse experiences as a result of that. I love development, so I’m always going to enjoy this period,” Emma Hayes said with a smile on her face. 

But all that is in the rearview mirror. The only way ahead, now, is forward. And Hayes is all set to take on the upcoming challenges head-on. “Looking forward, it’s about narrowing down that pool of players that will be competing for 2027 and for those that are considerations for 2028 and beyond, they will become and form a bigger part of theunder-23 pool. We’re going to lock into not just better understanding what we’re trying to do from a playing perspective but keep building our culture and everything that comes within that,” the ex-Chelsea manager said, how she’s looking to build the USWNT for the future. 

She also mentioned that the team is keeping a close eye on every athlete, whether they’re playing in the US or elsewhere. Not unbelievable, to be honest. Because when the American stars went back to their clubs following their 3-0 win over Canada in July, Hates stressed that playing for their clubs would be where the players honed their skills on a daily basis.

But now, with international duties once again on the horizon, the USWNT will once again convene in a bid to continue its thunderous run. Following the gold win at the Paris Olympics last year, the team has been dealing with a lot of issues. But now could be the time to put all concerns to bed.

The time for Emma Hayes to test her theory is now

Later this month, the USWNT will take on Portugal twice and New Zealand once. Both these two teams are formidable foes, and Hayes would love to take the opportunity to show the fans and the critics that her squad is up for every challenge thrown its way. But with that, she’s also excited to see what Portugal comes up with to greet the Americans. The two teams last met each other at the 2023 World Cup group stage, and this will be the first time they do so with Hayes at the helm of the USWNT.

“Portugal is a growing team that will be highly motivated for these matches, but as always, these three games are more opportunities to work on us,” Hayes said in August. However, she knows well that the friendlies are only a small part of the bigger picture. “I’m very impressed with the progress we’ve made since the Olympics and I want to give a lot of credit to the players for embracing our culture and ideas. But our staff and the players know we still have much work to do before World Cup qualifying next year,” she added to her comment.

So, will the upcoming trio of matches be where Emma Hayes proves that her gambles with the lineup paid off? Or will bigger cracks come to light? Share your thoughts with us!