It takes just a heartbeat to go from peak to pit — and the USWNT might be relating to that all too well. Fresh off the pedestal of their Paris Olympic triumph and an undefeated streak, the American ladies now find themselves facing unexpected scrutiny after recent setbacks. However, rallying behind Emma Hayes and Co. is none other than former player Lauren Cheney Holiday, who believes “now is the time to lose.”

Yep, you heard that right. In a time where ardent fans remain skeptical about the team’s ongoing form, the former versatile forward and midfielder believes it’s a part of the process. The vocal backing came in during her lengthy chat on a rather unique episode of the A Touch More podcast, co-hosted live by Megan Rapinoe alongside her partner Sue Bird at MIT’s annual Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.

While discussing their recent setbacks, Lauren Holiday reflected on her time with the USWNT, recalling how fans used to accuse the 99ers of being overly harsh critics who “hated” her and her teammates. However, that was never the case, as Holiday believes her former senior teammates simply wanted them to succeed. It’s the same sentiment she now holds toward Emma Hayes and the current squad.

“I want to be clear—this is my favorite US women’s national team,” Holiday began during the conference. “They’re great. I love them. Watching at the Olympics, we were crying, giddy, screaming.. so happy to watch them play.”

Ending 2024 on a decent note, the four-time World Champions were keen to maintain their momentum. However, a 1-2 loss to Japan first cost them the 2025 SheBelieves Cup, with misery following in the recent April camp as they suffered a similar defeat against Brazil. Though it’s true these losses don’t look good on their résumé, Holiday believes they hardly make any difference.

So what they lost? “Big deal!” said Holiday. Yet, she wants Hayes to make the most of their time and try fixing all the problems that have seen them end up facing such setbacks. “I think it is a time to examine… time for competition,” continued Lauren, urging the former Chelsea boss to figure out how exactly she plans to put her talented pieces together.

“I don’t envy Emma; a loss is a loss, I don’t think it’s anything bigger [or] we need to dissect it until they’re going to fall apart. They’re too young. Now is the time to lose,” concluded Holiday, urging fans not to get too bothered by the recent setbacks.

Indeed, the former Kansas City star offered strong support. This surely provides them with much-needed relief for the Stars and Stripes. Then again, Holiday,  wasn’t the only one, as Hayes also had a message for the fans following the recent upsets.

Emma Hayes also protects USWNT stars over recent setbacks!

It’s true that, albeit being friendlies, these games are still a reflection of how the US Women’s National Team is developing. However, one has to understand that whether it’s a draw, win, or loss, the bigger goal is to learn from each outcome. No wonder Emma Hayes hasn’t been calling up her best roster, instead giving chances to those who haven’t even received a call-up before.

But when these recent upsets against Japan and Brazil saw her young stars getting bashed by fans and media alike, the former WSL manager had to take a stand for them. “It’s been a really good camp and we mustn’t always measure progress by outcome,” she said, keeping her team’s heads high despite the failure.

The former Chicago Red Stars and Chelsea manager urged everyone to focus on the positives. She pointed out that the younger players gained valuable experience by facing tough opponents under pressure. Hayes explained that if her only goal was short-term success, she wouldn’t have made so many changes — but her priority lies in building for the future.

So, what do you think — do you have what it takes to endure these little setbacks just for the sake of witnessing long-term growth? Share your thoughts in the comments!