Hayes climbed the sport’s ladder, all the way to the top of England’s WSL, and now to the USWNT. She inspired a movement at Chelsea; she built a semi-pro team into a trophy-winning machine. Now, she’s tasked with restoring a fallen superpower.
Real Madrid, tactically and culturally and commercially, was really the only club capable of accommodating Mbappé’s talent and celebrity.
There is no common thread, no coherent explanation for six Champions League titles in 11 years.
Hayes said she’ll use her first training camp, which begins Monday, to analyze the state of the team, then ask herself: “What gap can I absolutely close between now and the Olympics?”