During the press conference after their gold medal win, Emma Hayes wasn’t the only one fighting back tears. USWNT captain, Lindsey Horan was having a hard time controlling her emotions before finally giving way. This was after Hayes praised the Lyon midfielder for her leadership skills, something that former Olympic gold medal winner Tobin Heath also noticed.

Horan was the co-captain alongside Alex Morgan when the USWNT suffered an early exit from the 2023 World Cup. During the tournament, she passionately defended her side’s performances from criticism by fans and experts. With Hayes taking over as head coach, Horan retained her position and was named the sole captain heading into the Olympics.

Wearing an armband is not always about standing out as an individual. Rather it’s about taking everyone with each other, a trait that Heath found most appealing in Horan. Speaking on The Debrief Live on August 13, Heath said, “When I spoke to Lindsey, one of the most proud things that I heard from her—which was so different than the Lindsey I knew—was that it was never about her. It was always about the team and the team winning.”

When Heath had a conversation with Horan previously, the 28-year-old didn’t mention what she lacked as a player. It was always about how the midfielder was ‘proud‘ of the team and instead focused on collective wins beyond her own achievements. According to Heath, for Lindsey, “the most important thing is the team wins not that ‘I’m the best player, not that I scored the goals, not that the attention on me that the and I thought that was like such an unlock in her leadership.”

“That was such an unlock in her leadership and almost like such a lesson,” added the 2008 Olympic gold winner. When asked whose responsible for this leadership change within Horan, Heath replied, “I think it was Emma. She’s been coaching her as a leader as well because Emma gets coached as well.”

Horan didn’t have a prolific tournament by her standards. She did start the campaign by providing two assists against Zambia, but couldn’t score or add to her assist tally for the rest of the tournament. Her performances were brought into question with even calls for her to be dropped for the final against Brazil instead of Rose Lavelle. Yet, it was beyond the field that her impact was most profound.

Speaking to the press after their final win, Hayes praised her captain for efforts throughout the tournament on and off the pitch. Hayes said, “You don’t see all of the work she does outside the pitch, you don’t see all the conversations she has… whether it’s [to] help nurture a young player, or to settle nerves or to remind people of their confidence.” The 30-year-old started every game in the Olympics and was a constant voice on the pitch.

She played every minute of USA’s campaign until the semi-final game against Germany, where she was substituted in the 91st minute as the game went into extra time. This clearly showcases the unwavering faith Hayes had in Horan from the start and despite a dip in performances, the coach kept faith in her abilities to lead the side. Horan started the final and helped her team see out the 1-0 lead against Brazil en route to victory.

Hayes also praised Horan as a leader and said that she made her job much easier. “I’m delighted for Lindsey because she deserves that and doesn’t always get the credit she deserves and it’s been an honor for me to work with her” she added. This made Horan emotional who couldn’t hold back the tears and hugged her coach at the end.

Additionally, the former midfielder Arsenal midfielder Heath also praised Hayes’ quality of coaching all kinds of variations of the game mentioning how it helped USWNT’s skipper. “I think that is what’s needed, especially for a leader that is very different than the past leaders that led in a very different way,” concluded Heath.

Rightly so, in the eyes of the former US international, Hayes has done a remarkable job in transforming Horan. While the USWNT boss has also done a good job in revolutionizing the whole group, another US icon has a contrary view.

Emma Hayes’ USWNT glory is more of a ‘psychological‘ work than tactical work

Carli Lloyd was impressed by the work that Emma Hayes has done for the USWNT. She commended the English tactician for not stressing the pressure of winning gold or the group’s capacity to do so. Rather, the 47-year-old took the pressure off the team by leaving them on their own to rally for the feat. Yet, in Lloyd’s view, that still doesn’t elevate Hayes to the status of a high-profile tactician.

While Lloyd said Hayes did alter things structurally and tactically, it was more about the mindset change the 47-year-old brought according to Lloyd. Speaking on Alexis Lallas’  State of the Union podcast, she said, “Let’s be honest, in 10 games you say [yourself] a magician, you’re not Pep Guardiola, changing years worth of tactical play. This was more of a mindset, more of a psychological instilling that she brought to this team is what I took from it.”

This may sound a little too harsh especially after Hayes led USWNT to a first gold medal since 2012, but the coach herself believed it was more than tactics that secured them success. When asked what helped her turn the fortunes of the team reeling from the 2023 World Cup failure, Hayes told NBC, “It’s just love. I come from a place of wanting players to enjoy themselves.”

Different opinions will continue to circulate as the USWNT has just come off its remarkable feat. However, one thing is certain: the Stars and Stripes are undoubtedly on a path to greatness, whether through the new group that Hayes has formed or the leader Lindsey Horan has become.