New United States girls’s head coach Emma Hayes is hopeful of making “a brand new historical past” with the nationwide facet, beginning on the Olympic Video games in Paris.
The USWNT come into the competitors on the again of their earliest exit from a World Cup, dropping to Sweden on penalties within the final 16 final 12 months.
The USA arrive in Paris aiming to assert a fifth gold medal within the event, final triumphing within the competitors at London 2012.
“This workforce is previous that. I feel this workforce is firmly targeted on, , creating a brand new historical past collectively,” mentioned head coach Hayes, reflecting on the 2023 World Cup.
“Our motivation isn’t at all times about righting the wrongs. Removed from it. We’re excited. We’re ready.”
On our Tuesday coaching grind pic.twitter.com/K1IYWkjuFy
— U.S. Girls’s Nationwide Soccer Staff (@USWNT) July 23, 2024
Since Hayes’ arrival on the helm in Might, she has gained three of her 4 video games in cost, securing 4 clear sheets within the course of.
However a goalless draw with Costa Rica of their last pre-tournament fixture has supporters apprehensive about their gold medal prospects.
“The workforce is strictly the place it must be at this stage,” Hayes assured. “And for us it’s simply so, so essential we proceed to concentrate on that course of.”
Hayes’ facet open their Group B marketing campaign towards Zambia, who’ve Barbra Banda of their ranks, the striker who has 12 objectives in 12 video games for Orlando Satisfaction.
The USWNT are among the many favourites to scoop the highest award in Paris, with reigning world champions Spain additionally tipped for gold on their event debut.
However Hayes, who gained seven WSL titles with Chelsea, feels the age-old assumption of American dominance within the girls’s sport is disrespectful.
Hayes acknowledged that ambition is essential, however emphasised that expectations for these Olympics have to be amended as a result of world development of ladies’s soccer.
“I feel one of many greatest issues is that too typically is that we speak about what we’re going to do in Paris or what occurs after we get to the semis and finals – I feel it’s disrespectful to the remainder of the world to speak like that,” Hayes mentioned.
“I feel the sport has moved to some extent the place that isn’t the case. It isn’t a shoo-in to get someplace. It needs to be earned and there’s no given proper.
“There’s prime footballing nations on this event. I don’t assume shocks within the girls’s sport exist any extra.
“I feel we’ve to reframe our focus a little bit bit and have respect for the remainder of the world.”