Imagine stepping onto the field in front of over 80,000 people. The deafening cheers, whistles, and loud noises surround you, but amidst all this chaos, only a few players can block it out and truly shine. That’s what playing at Wembley is like and former USWNT player Ali Krieger warns Emma Hayes’ squad to not take the upcoming friendly lightly. 

England’s national football stadium, Wembley is one of the most iconic venus in the world of soccer. It stands as the largest stadium in the UK and the second-largest in Europe, only behind Barcelona’s Camp Nou. The upcoming friendly between the Three Lionesses and the USWNT will see many players from Emma Hayes’ squad experience such an atmosphere for the first time, as a string of injuries to key players has given others the chance to shine. 

“Definitely new for a lot of these younger players because they do not get that in the NWSL, we are lucky if we get 7 to 10 at any other stadium outside of Portland Thorns,” said Krieger in the latest episode of ‘Futbol Americas’. This makes sense, considering the average attendance of the NWSL in 2024 was 11,250, which is only about 10% of Wembley’s seating capacity.

“So this will be a little intimidating, the pressure is definitely gonna be on, they key will be to go out, connect the first few passes, breathe, stay calm in the first 5 minutes, get into the game, get the momentum going,” said the soccer icon, and rightly so since the last time these two sides met at Wembley, the Lioneeses won 2-1. 

As for the USWNT manager, the stadium is no stranger to her. Wembley once hosted several of her trophies during her twelve-year stint at Chelsea. Especially the 5 Women’s FA Cups which she lifted on this very same ground. So while it’s good to be back home, this time she will have the away section supporting her as well. 

Hayes’ homecoming hurdle

For Hayes, she will be donning the red, white, and blue while ‘God Save the King’ echoes through the stadium. The former Chelsea boss will also be facing England manager Sarina Wiegman, who she has known since their time at Stamford Bridge. She will also be looking forward to seeing Millie Bright and Fran Kirby, both of whom were key players in her Chelsea side.

But she won’t have much to worry about, considering the fantastic start the USWNT has had. Within just two months of taking charge of the Stars and Stripes, Hayes led the team to gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and her side is yet to lose a game. So will Hayes’ side fall prey to the Lionesses, only time will tell. And with no triple espresso for the English manager, this could be a repeat of 2022!