Who is Emma Hayes? Manager history & profile for USWNT head coach

Emma Hayes has been the USWNT head coach since 2024, after accepting the role in 2023. It took almost no time at all for the fans and players of the USWNT to warm to Hayes, which is hardly surprising given her coaching history. 

Hayes took over the role from Vlatko Andonovski (with Twila Kilgore serving as head coach on an interim basis). During that time, she won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics, which certainly counts for something. 

Here’s a brief overview of Emma Hayes’ career to date. 

Who is Emma Hayes? 

Emma Hayes is an English-born football coach, who has coached some of the most iconic teams in women’s football. Born in Camden, the same place that Amy Winehouse lived in (and is still very much adored there, even cast in her own statue), Hayes brings the same fusion approach to her tactics that Winehouse brought to her songs.

Hayes returned to the United States in 2024, but she is no stranger to the country. Actually, she began coaching in the U.S. college system early in her career before returning to England. In many ways, her career has completed a perfect circle. 

She is widely considered to be one of the best tactical minds in the women’s game. She has given a lot to the sport, from her appearances as a pundit to her virality with post-match comments. 

Emma Hayes’ coaching history

Emma Hayes began her career in the USA college system, but her first official role was with the Long Island Lady Riders, based in New York. She was the youngest coach in the league at the time. Remaining in New York for some time, she also served as the head coach for the Iona Gaels women’s team of Iona College.  

For the years between 2005-2008, Emma Hayes spent her time with Arsenal. She was both the club’s assistant coach for the women’s team, and acted as the club's Academy director. This was during the time when Arsenal had one of the most dominant women’s teams in the world.

From Arsenal, Emma Hayes earned her biggest call-up to date, and that was to serve as the head coach of the Chicago Red Stars. She clearly impressed since, after two years, she earned the call that would define har career to date. 

In 2012, she made the move BACK to England to coach the Chelsea women’s team. She spent over a decade, and she really built the club from bottom-up. When she arrived, Chelsea Women were not taken as seriously as a club. After leaving, though, Hayes had successfully turned them into one of the best women’s teams in the world. 

And, as they say, the rest is history; nowadays, she coaches the USWNT.

Emma Hayes’ coaching style

It is physically impossible to talk about Emma Hayes the coach without mentioning Emma Hayes the person. In many ways, who she is as a person has impacted the way she coaches. 

Hayes places a real emphasis on getting to know her players on a personal level, and that helps her to set her team up for success. She is an advocate for promoting youth players and giving them the opportunity to succeed. It was this approach that helped her to build a dynasty at Chelsea, and USWNT fans are already noticing that.

Aside from the glowing personality, Hayes brings that building approach to her style of play. She builds teams from the back, and encourages her defenders to start build-up play from the defense. Her fullbacks are crucial to stretching out the play, and she would much prefer her teams to ‘pass the ball in the net’ rather than swing aimless crosses into the box. It’s certainly worked for her.