LONDON, England (AP) — U.S. women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes is back in London for her first game on English soil since leaving Chelsea this summer. After 12 illustrious years at the club, during which she cemented her reputation as one of the best managers of all time, she took on a new challenge this summer and now appears rejuvenated and strengthened – a stark contrast to the depleted figure who bid farewell to the Blues , after securing their fifth consecutive Women’s Super League (WSL) title.

“I definitely didn’t feel healthy at the end; I felt pretty uncomfortable at the end of my time at Chelsea,” she said during a press conference at legendary music venue The Underworld in Camden on Monday. “(Now) I feel like I have my mojo, my smile and my joy back because I didn’t realize how much I lost because of it. And that means I love football more than ever.” , and I’m clear about what I want to do.

Now a four-time world champion, Hayes has already added an Olympic gold medal to her resume with the USA in just three months. And although her roots remain firmly planted in London – where she continues to live – a return to Wembley on Saturday to face England’s Lionesses in a friendly will feel strange. Now everything feels different.

A humble beginning

Hayes has achieved notable success in her career – including seven WSL titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups – but attributes much of it to her Camden roots and the unwavering support of her parents Sid and Miriam. In fact, her late father played a crucial role in shaping her coaching career and pushed her to take on the role in the US before his death in September 2023. His absence during her final season at Chelsea was deeply felt, as Sid had been the most important thing to her and the team. He was a loyal supporter and his tireless work ethic in running the family’s foreign exchange business became a cornerstone of Hayes’ pursuit Size.

As a young girl, Hayes was once impressed by a wealthier friend who lived in a “beautiful five-story” house. But when she returned home and adopted a fake accent, her mother quickly brought her back to reality: “Your s— still stinks,” Miriam reminded her, an anecdote that Hayes treasures as a defining moment in her upbringing.

This informed perspective became the foundation of the ambition and resilience we would later see as football managers. “I don’t come from a privileged background; “I come from a home where you had to stay down to earth and be humble and hardworking,” she said. “I don’t take anything for granted. I deserve everything; it wasn’t a gift.”

The broad smile that spread across Hayes’ face throughout Monday’s event came from a sense of joy and belonging that came from returning to her beloved Camden, and she radiated an energy that was unmistakably authentic. The laughter, easy banter, and ease in familiar surroundings reflected her contentment at being among her people—surrounded by a handful of friends and family, as well as the media.

“I’m such a Camden girl and I’m so happy to be back in Camden,” she said. “You can probably tell by the smile on my face. This is my home and I’m really looking forward to a great week with my team.”

“I am very grateful for everything my country and my city have given me. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that in life you just have to give it your all and enjoy life and not worry all the time.” . So (it was amazing) when I drove past my school, Parliament Hill, and saw a “Welcome Back, Emma” sign in front of the Underworld… My community is what I care about and what I am like that “I’m thrilled to be here with people who have made a huge commitment to my life.”

Hayes’ community has always been her anchor, a constant source of grounding and faith at every peak and trough of her journey. Even in moments of self-doubt when she wondered if she would ever become the serial winner she is today, her family never doubted her belief in her potential.

At one point, Hayes asked those in attendance to raise their hand if they thought she would become a serial winner. Her friends and family all raised their arms in emphasis. It was a powerful, symbolic moment – a testament to the unwavering faith of those who have stood by her, from her humble beginnings to the pinnacle of international football.

“So many people say they’ve seen me do that; I didn’t necessarily think that would happen,” she said. “I knew it was what I wanted and I knew the sacrifices I made in my life to get to where I am now. I know how many weddings I have missed; how many birthday parties I missed; How many holidays have I missed.” I know how many evenings I have missed.

“My friends will tell you. My family will tell you that ‘Emma always put football first’ and sometimes I’m not always proud of that. It was lonely, often it was really lonely because I had a dream. “The game, not for myself. I had a dream of women’s football that I was able to live and I’m just so grateful that I had my parents and my family was pressured into doing this without their support me to help (her son) “Harry and everything like that, I definitely wouldn’t have done it.”

A different kind of game and familiar faces

Hayes is no stranger to the big stage at Wembley Stadium, having stood on its hallowed touchline at numerous FA Cup finals, and it is a place she affectionately refers to as her “second home”. But as she prepares for Saturday’s game against England, everything feels different. This time she’s not the celebrated hero of English soccer, but rather the pantomime villain leading the USWNT in their home game against the Lionesses.

With 80,000 tickets already sold for the highly anticipated encounter, Hayes knows the evening will be hostile. But instead of being afraid of it, she accepts the challenge and doesn’t let the pressure weigh her down.

“There’s no denying it’s a different kind of game playing at Wembley,” she said. “I had to think about how I was going to act there as manager of the away team because it will be full of English people supporting the home team.”

“I don’t worry too much about the feel and atmosphere of a place that honestly feels like a second home to me. I know when I return to Wembley I’ll have to go to the away dressing room, but “I’m experiencing another chance between the Olympic champions and the reigning European champions in a game where the highest quality is on offer on both sides.”

Nevertheless, the duel has an emotional significance for Hayes that goes beyond football. England has always been the country she called home, the place where her successes were celebrated. Now she must grapple with a complex mix of pride and conflict, standing on the other side of the anthem she once sang and facing players she helped mold into world-class athletes.

“I have to go through a strange moment when the national anthem comes on, something that I will hum along to, like I always have, being the English person that I am,” she said. “I will do the same for the American national anthem. I love both anthems and beyond that strange moment and when I see some of the competitors I’ve competed against or players I’ve gone to war with, it gets down to business.”

Although England will be without Chelsea duo Niamh Charles and Lauren James due to injury, Hayes will still face some familiar faces. Among them are Chelsea players Hannah Hampton, Aggie Beever-Jones and, perhaps most poignantly, Millie Bright – her former captain and a player she described as “like a little sister” and “a special person”.

Even if Wembley feels like home, it will certainly remind you of the fine line between nostalgia and new beginnings, between being loved and being the bad guy. But their motivations for winning remain the same.

“I’m a competitor and I want to win football games, and I represent a locker room that also likes to win,” she said. “Of course we want to win at the weekend, but that doesn’t correspond to my overarching goal. I want to qualify for the World Cup. I want to win the World Cup.”

Hayes will use the game to experiment with new strategies and combinations within her US team, particularly in the absence of the “Triple Espresso” frontline of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson, who did not join the squad. It’s a delicate balancing act, aimed at giving players with just one or two caps the opportunity to experience the greatness of an iconic game like this, while ensuring the team builds meaningful connections on the pitch.

“There has to be connections and relationships, but I also want to provide opportunities,” Hayes said. “That’s why it’s crucial to achieve that balance in these two games because at some point I want a player who has played one or two international matches to be able to experience what it’s like to play in front of 80,000 spectators.”

“It feels a bit hostile and a bit cold and you’re not really sure because you get a bit uneasy in the game. I want to see who some of our players are at this moment. But sometimes that happens.” the costs of using someone you know can do in that area, over and over again. So I stick with my long-term goals that dominate my thinking and go to the bench when I need to.

This match isn’t just about competition, it’s part of a larger mission. The unmistakable optimism that surrounds Hayes now has helped her focus and block out the noise. And whatever happens, she knows it will be an “unforgettable night.”

“I work every day to build women’s sports and women’s football,” she said. “80,000+ (fans), I’m sure a lot of people around the world will be watching the game. … I know exactly where I am and what I want to do with my life, and that is in women’s football and that is.” That clarity has really helped me shine a light on the things we need to do, and although in a different way.