One of the legends saying goodbye. One icon says hello.
More than 80,000 attendees cheered on a landmark occasion for women's football.
The U.S. women's national team will face England on Saturday (noon ET, TNT) at Wembley Stadium in London in a major international friendly between the reigning Olympic and European champions.
Even if old stamp law tensions subside, this remains the first chance for US coach Emma Hayes to put her stamp on the rivalry.
Hayes, a Londoner who took over the USWNT this year and restored glory to the team by winning gold in Paris, returns to his homeland where he made a name for himself by taking charge of Chelsea, where several players from his former club have been selected for the England squad. .
“It's been a pretty good week for me,” Hayes said happily, but he'll have to get used to going to the away locker room and there will be “weird moments” of humming the national anthems of both countries. .
“I'm looking forward to the game and getting the team to Wembley,” Hayes said. “I work every day to develop women's sport, women's football. More than 80,000 people around the world will watch the top two teams play under the lights at Wembley…in memories I hope it’s a night to remember.”
This is also the penultimate period for long-time goalkeeper Alyssa Nair, who announced she would retire from international football after this week's friendly, including That includes Tuesday's game in the Netherlands.
“It just felt like entering a new cycle, a new stage for this team.” [I’ve] “It felt like the right time considering everything I have to give this team,” Neher said.
Neher, 36, has been the team's No. 1 goaltender since 2016 and meets the definition of a big-time player with his famous stoic look — Exhibit A could be the 2019 World Cup semifinals against England. –.
Central defender Naomi Girma said: “She's such a leader, sometimes a quiet leader, but her ability to always lead by example and perform under pressure, game-on-game, is what I always say about her.'' It's something I've respected.” “She will definitely be greatly missed on this team.”
Goalie is just one spot Hayes is working on to incorporate fresh talent into the USWNT's mix.
The superstar Triple Espresso front (Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson) did not compete. Six Gotham FC players participated (Yazmeen Ryan joins leading players Tierna Davidson, Rose Lovell, Jenna Neiswonger, Emily Sonnett and Lynn Williams).
Hayes is aware that the Wembley environment will be as tumultuous an introduction as some of the USWNT's new recruits could potentially make it onto the world stage.
This may not be the record number of 91,648 people who attended the 2022 Barcelona women's game, or the 90,185 who filled the Rose Bowl for the 1999 World Cup final. But it'll be pretty close.
“But you almost have to do it,” Hayes said. “You have to go to that arena to find out who they are in there. And that’s what I’m really looking forward to and seeing which players develop in that. I look at it.”
