Emma Hayes may be making her players “suffer” at the Olympics, but that doesn’t mean the U.S. women’s national team coach wants to keep it that way.
Hayes has led the USWNT to Saturday’s gold medal match against Brazil, keeping her subs to a minimum amid a grueling Olympic schedule.
The match in Paris will be the USWNT’s sixth game in 17 days at the Olympics. Amid a competition that only allows 18-player rosters, limiting teams to two rest days between games creates a tournament that is challenging to player welfare.
Ahead of the gold medal match, Hayes called on organizers to reconsider the tournament’s format ahead of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I think long-term potentially they (should) look at that calendar and considering there are Olympic games in LA in a few years’ time, to maybe adapt that schedule or think about that and give more time. Player welfare should always come first,” Hayes said at Friday’s pre-game press conference.
USWNT captain Lindsey Horan also spoke about the uniquely difficult nature of Olympic soccer.
“This tournament is such a unique, unique experience. You don’t know it unless you’re in it. And the cadence of a game every two days is really difficult. And, you know, we’ve played a lot of minutes and I think it’s the mentality. It’s that mental strength, but you’re suffering,” said Horan.
Hayes has barely rotated her lineup throughout the Olympics, and has made just one substitutions before the end of regulation in both of her team’s extra-time knockout games.
“I could see today that players were having to dig to the deepest place within them,” Hayes said after the match against Germany.
“I’ve said this all along — the reason I want to play the team together for as long as possible is because I want them to develop that. I want them to suffer. I want them to have that moment because I do not believe you can win without it.”
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