The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup was truly historic for Team USA. And not in a good way. Vlatko Andonovski’s girls were defeated by Sweden in the Round of 16, marking the earliest exit for the Americans in the competition. With the recruitment of Emma Hayes as the new head coach, the top brass hoped to compensate for the heartbreak, and the former Arsenal star is already making her impact felt. Under Hayes, the USA bagged gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and hopes to win its fifth World Cup title next year. But it wasn’t an easy road to here.

“To get this opportunity is a dream come true,” said the retired midfielder after being appointed as the USWNT boss in 2023. In her statement, the British national also noted that she felt a deep connection with the USA’s national soccer team as well as the country. Now, as Hayes hopes to help Naomi Girma & Co. redeem themselves from the 2023 fumble, she can’t help but remember how she began her journey on the other side of the pond.

The USWNT head coach hit Instagram on August 18 to reminisce on how being named the Chelsea boss more than a decade ago changed her life forever. “On this day in 2012, I had the incredible honor of coaching my very first game for Chelsea,” wrote Hayes, “It’s truly astonishing to reflect on all that the club has accomplished since that moment.” With her at the helm, Chelsea became one of the most prolific teams in the UK, and it’s understandable why Hayes’ heart fills up looking back at her old camp.

“I feel immensely privileged to have been part of such a remarkable club, surrounded by extraordinary people. The journey has been nothing short of fulfilling, and I am grateful for every experience along the way,” Emma Hayes went on in her social media post, noting that her time in the UK was one of the most fulfilling periods of her coaching career. Then again, her stint with Chelsea was pretty memorable.

Emma started her job at Chelsea in August 2012, with a 1-0 victory over the Doncaster Rovers Belles. During her tenure as the head coach, the London club won seven FA Women’s Super League trophies along with five FA Cups. Naturally, it was a collaboration that was made in heaven. In 2022, the coach noted how she felt like she had a special thing for winning with Chelsea. “I enjoy representing a club I absolutely adore. To be in a position where we can continue to win on behalf of Chelsea is something I think I was born for,” she confessed.

In May, Hayes once again highlighted her love for the London club when she shared an image of the team on her IG story, after the Blues won the FA Cup by defeating Manchester United 3-0 at Wembley. The USWNT boss won the FA silverware in the 2022-23 season, and it was only normal to see her feeling the joy at seeing her former team repeat the feat from thousands of miles away.

However, while her adoration for Chelsea is well documented, the 48-year-old soccer coach has bigger things to worry about.

Emma Hayes is getting the ball rolling with eyes on the bigger fish

For the first time in the history of the tournament, the FIFA Women’s World Cup will arrive in South America in 2027. What better place for Hayes and the USWNT to reclaim their position as the world’s top women’s soccer side? With that in mind, the US national coach is looking to make a number of changes to the team before the top-tier competition.

Back in March, Hayes revealed that she has been keeping a close eye on the U23 players to help her finalize the “core players” for the 2027 World Cup. “We give them opportunities to progress without the lenses on them and the expectations being through the roof. From there, those performances coupled with their club performances will give us an indicator of which ones from that pool are ready to progress up to us,” Hayes said during a ringside interview during the NWSL game between Angel City and Seattle Reign.

After a successful Olympic campaign, the USWNT might be feeling confident. But Hayes knows the World Cup is a different ballgame altogether. But can her wisdom and coaching skills prove to be the thing the USA needs to triumph in Brazil? What do you think?