Embracing the Present: Emma Hayes on her Current Happiness and Support for the Lionesses

Emma Hayes, the head coach of US Women's National Team, has hinted at the possibility of taking on the role of managing the England national team in the future. While not committing to anything concrete, she has left the door open, sparking speculation on a potential move to England.

Hayes was Chelsea boss for 12 years before being appointed US manager in 2024.

She won gold with the team at the Paris Olympics, just a few months after winning a fifth consecutive Women's Super League title with Chelsea.

Emma Hayes: 'My vast experience in the club game has prepared me for international football'

Hayes has long been linked with the England job but the position is currently filled by the most successful Lionesses boss there has ever been, Sarina Wiegman.

Wiegman, who won the Euros in 2022 and took England to the 2023 World Cup final, is in the role until at least 2027. But would Hayes consider the job if the opportunity arose?

She told FourFourTwo: “I’ll never say never to managing my country, but I’m really happy with what I’m doing now and I’ll be in the USA for a minimum of four years.

“As long as they’re not competing against the USA, I’ll always be cheering on the Lionesses. I’m always going to be English and want them to do well. But we all know they’ve got an amazing manager in Sarina.”

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Hayes added she told the Football Association she wasn't interested in pursuing the England job when it was available.

She has been impressive as USWNT boss, bringing them golden success after they crashed out of the World Cup in the last 16 under former manager Vlatko Andonovski in 2023.

Hayes, who in FourFourTwo's view will lead the US to more World Cup glory, added: "International football is for more experienced coaches,” she says. “My vast experience in the club game has prepared me for this. You only get to coach for a small percentage of time, but a lot of it is building strategy. I am enjoying it more than I’d anticipated.

“I very much enjoy all of the other elements off the pitch, building the infrastructure. There was definitely many a year when this would never have interested me, as I loved being on the grass every day. But this is the right time in my life now to be doing this job.”