Certain football national teams have proved that having many same-club players in their roaster is a blessing. For example, the 2010 World Cup-winning Spain team had seven players from Barcelona in its 24-man roster. And five were from Real Madrid. The USWNT has a similar story, as it housed seven players from Gotham FC alone for the Olympics. Anyhow, US coach Emma Hayes thinks that this same-club factor is of little help. For her, it is the “synergy” within the national team that makes the difference.

Having led the Chicago Red Stars for two years, Hayes is now back in Chicago and has started her NWSL tour. During the outing, the 47-year-old was asked to reveal how helpful it is to have so many players from a team such as Gotham FC. “I think of course it helps. They’ve got the connection because they try to play with each other day in and day out,” coach Emma Hayes told the Attacking Third.

Thereafter, the former Chelsea boss detailed that succeeding in the national team goes beyond a player’s sync with their club teammate. “But the national team is within many players itself grown up, coming through the system, playing together and there’s already a sort of synergy between them. So yes it might help. We have multiple players who come from one team, but for me, it’s not a defining factor,” Emma Hayes added.

It is not surprising to see Emma Hayes being dismissive of NWSL connections between players. The Olympic-winning US squad is a classic example to prove that Hayes was right to prefer connections within the NT over those in the NWSL.

Emma Hayes’ USWNT’s Olympic core weren’t teammates in the NWSL

The USWNT’s front three, nicknamed ‘Triple Espresso’ have been at the epicenter of its Olympic success. Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman, and Sophia Smith scored 10 goals between them. So, their chemistry makes us feel like they have been playing day in and day out. But as we all know, Swanson plays for the Chicago Red Stars, Rodman for Washington, and Smith for Portland.

Besides, San Diego Wave star Naomi Girma became the USWNT defense’s MVP, despite sharing the stage with a trio of Gotham FC defenders. And so, Emma Hayes will continue to enhance the chemistry within the national team, rather than depending on same-team NWSL players. At this juncture, it remains to be seen how far iconic NWSL players such as Ashley Sanchez could go in chasing their USWNT dream.