U.S. women’s soccer is no longer a juggernaut. Emma Hayes makes sure her players know it

Kevin Baxter writes that U.S. women's soccer head coach Emma Hayes is purposely confronting her squad with elite competition to prepare for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil. Aiming to dismantle the notion that the Americans remain global juggernauts, Hayes recently arranged seven straight matches against top-seven teams—including Spain, Brazil, and Japan—with the U.S. securing just three victories.

Hayes argues that the rest of the world has caught up due to massive European and global investments, leaving the U.S. as chasers rather than frontrunners. Defender Emily Fox supported the challenging schedule as necessary growth, and Hayes maintains that facing top opponents like world champions Spain is essential preparation.