USWNT’s redemption arc complete with gold at the Paris Olympics: Now the real work begins ahead of the 2027 World Cup

The U.S. women’s national team’s reputation for historic success precedes them, but before they landed in France last month, something surprising was missing from the roster for the 2024 Olympics: Not a single member of the team had won a gold medal, a glaring omission from their CV as the disappointment of their early exit from last year’s Women’s World Cup loomed over them. It didn’t help that their new head coach Emma Hayes would only play four games with her side before traveling to the Olympics, forcing many to temper their expectations.

That baggage was hardly a deterrent. After six matches in seventeen days throughout France, the USWNT became Olympic gold medalists for the first time in twelve years. They defeated Brazil 1-0 at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Saturday, completing the redemption arc in record time. It was the culmination of some big bets paying off since the Melbourne disappointment, answering a series of uncertainties that have lingered around the USWNT over the past year.

Within a few weeks, US Soccer’s choice to hire Hayes proved to be a smart one, despite the drawbacks of the short window between her first match in early June and the opening of the Olympics in late July. The gold medal also validates the process led by assistant coach Twila Kilgore in Hayes’ absence, with young players getting enough shots to allow Hayes to work with a younger version of the USWNT in Paris and reap the rewards. to pick from. The attacking trio of Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman made a name for themselves on the international stage by scoring three goals each, while Swanson added one more with the only goal in the gold medal match.

However, this achievement is even more impressive when you consider how much work remains to be done. A group stage campaign that saw the USWNT outscore their opponents 9-1 felt like a reintroduction to a national team with a history of overpowering their rivals, but gave way to a much more timid knockout stage. The US have not conceded a single goal in that time, continuing the strong defensive form they found themselves in at the Women’s World Cup last year. They also scored just three goals on their way to the gold medal, requiring two periods of extra time to get there. Against Brazil they were undoubtedly the worst side until Swanson’s goal disrupted the momentum of the match, at times being fortunate to survive their opponent’s attacking moves in the first half.

Hayes inadvertently alluded to the hardships of their preparation for the Olympics. She has at times played a crucial role as a newcomer to the team, admitting before the tournament that the USWNT has historically favored veterans over up-and-comers, inadvertently hindering their own evolution. Although Hayes was bold enough to exclude Alex Morgan from the squad, choosing younger and more in-form players instead, she stuck to her guns upon arrival in France. She didn’t change often, both in lineup choices and substitutions, forcing players to endure fatigue as she desperately tried to build chemistry.

Her approach often felt like an obstacle. Hayes clearly decided that promoting connections was paramount, even if it felt like fresh legs in earlier stages of the match could have prevented a ponderous outcome to the match. Her position still feels like it was forced by the short preparation period for the Olympics, and she’s probably right to feel vindicated that it paid off with a gold medal.

Still, this feels more like the beginning of a new chapter than a happily ever after, largely because of the imperfections on display in France. While Swanson, Smith and Rodman were able to put the team on their shoulders several times and veteran goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made several big plays, the USWNT has several areas of improvement.

Chief among these is the midfield imbalance that has existed since Sam Mewis was forced out of the team after the Tokyo Olympics with injuries that later led to her retirement in 2024. Hayes seems to recognize that too, making some big decisions despite establishing a new status quo at the Olympic Games. Korbin Albert started the gold medal match over Rose Lavelle, while Lindsey Horan moved to an attacking role that suits her better than the deeper role she usually plays with Lavelle on the court. The trio of Albert, Horan and Sam Coffey still haven’t found the perfect balance, confirming that this is a long-term project that may require Hayes to make some tough decisions at some point.

There is still plenty of time on the clock before their next major international tournament, the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, if they qualify. The post-Olympics period will allow Hayes to really show her true plans for the national team, as staying at the top of the women’s football landscape in an increasingly competitive sport is a much more difficult task.

While Hayes works on the tangibles in the coming years, she has impressively restored a number of intangibles in record time. Despite their noticeable imperfections against Brazil, Hayes and company have restored the sense of inevitability that has defined the USWNT for decades. Triumph is still part of the team, even though this team consisted of players who had not yet experienced it at international level. However, those who didn’t have the experience to win wasted little time in their quest to finally reach the podium.

There is still a lot to learn about this version of the USWNT, as well as their new head coach, as they look to live up to expectations after a strong start to the Hayes era. But as far as first impressions go, Hayes and company have done well to make a strong impression.