The US Women’s National Team owes a great deal to Emma Hayes. Picking up the American ladies from depths of despair following the heartbreak of the 2023 World Cup to winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics was no walk in the park. This has made Mia Hamm one of Hayes’ admirers, who, in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, highlighted the ‘immediate impact’ under the English tactician.

The iconic forward might be affected by last year’s heartbreak, but she does remain inclined towards the present and what the future holds for them. “Of course, it’s not the result that, as a former player and fan of the USWNT, we wanted,” began Hamm, adding, “But I think where we are today, the players that were part of the World Cup squad have grown so much.”

Quickly shedding light on the biggest change the USWNT adapted to, the 52-year-old added, “They definitely don’t wanna go backward, and I think that commitment, refocus, and then obviously the addition of Emma Hayes and her staff, we saw the immediate impact to what happened this past summer at the Olympics.”

When asked whether the team needed such heartbreak to bounce back, Mia insisted that it’s more about reflection on what could have been done better. Even though it’s “really easy to point fingers outward,” in the end, one can only control themselves. Fortunately, the arrival of Hayes has helped the players move past their tough moments, enabling them to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Mia also acknowledged that despite a few injuries before the World Cup, such as Mallory Swanson being ruled out a month prior, she praised the team for responding remarkably well in the Summer Games. “I thought every single player that was a part of the Olympic team had a different attitude,” she said during her exclusive chat with EssentiallySports.

Further highlighting the joy of lacing up your boots daily to compete alongside teammates and close friends, Hamm added that the Olympics was proof that all 22 players enjoyed themselves on the pitch under Hayes’ leadership. “The thing I noticed the most about this summer was how much joy they played with… You saw that joy in the eyes, the hearts, the level of play, and commitment from those players,” concluded Hamm.

It looks like Hamm is glad to see it all worked out for both Emma Hayes and USWNT through each other’s partnership. Speaking of which, we wouldn’t have let Mia go without sharing her thoughts on the new alliance that has led everyone in the soccer world to talk about it.

Mia Hamm opens up on the ‘lethal’ Tripple Espresso

The US legend heaped praise on the new partnership of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson, who remained one of the highlights throughout the Summer Games campaign. “They are so dynamic, so fun to watch,” said Hamm, explaining that the most exciting about the three of them is that individually, they possess the ability to dissect the defense.

“They are lethal with their finishing, and they didn’t need like 100 chances to score, and you saw that in the final match,” added the former USWNT player. She noted that if opponents concentrate on one player, the other two are fully capable of inflicting serious damage. In short, more brownie points for Emma Hayes again for letting the Tripple Espresso happen!