Emma Hayes’ experimental window is over. Now the USWNT sets its sights on the World Cup

It was a night full of firsts for the U.S. women’s national team in Santa Barbara, California.

Croix Bethune set the tone, the 24-year-old connecting with Ayo Oke’s through ball after 18 minutes and, despite a near-stumble, manoeuvring past Chile’s goalkeeper to record the first U.S. goal of her career. For debutant Oke, this was also her first international assist.

Eight minutes later, Chicago Stars standout Jameese Joseph scored her first U.S. goal after rolling past a defender and shooting a rocket into the net. Then, first-time captain and defender Emily Sams snuck her first U.S. goal, too, a loud moment for one of the team’s quiet leaders.

Thanks to a pair of goals in the second half from Emma Sears and Trinity Rodman, the USWNT went on to defeat Chile 5-0, closing their January window with another dominant win.

It was a fitting way to end what head coach Emma Hayes has described as the final experimental window for the U.S., as she now shifts to identifying its core group for 2027.

“This has certainly opened up the year with what we’ve identified as the key themes to take us through to (World Cup) qualification,” Hayes said. “This camp has given us the reference points to be able to say those are the things we need to add to go to the next level.”

The January window focused on development. Hayes named two of the least-experienced starting XIs for the USWNT in 25 years, with Tuesday’s team against Chile averaging 5.2 caps per player. The line-up that began the match against Paraguay on Saturday averaged fewer than 10 caps.

Hayes was unable to call in many of her regulars for these matches. Because it falls outside of a typical FIFA window, European clubs are not required to release players, which meant this camp featured only those from the NWSL, minus Gotham FC players, who are in London for the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.

Hayes has indicated that her rosters for the SheBelieves Cup in March and three back-to-back friendlies against Japan in April will be more representative of the group she has in mind for qualifiers later this year. However, she said between six to eight players from this window were fighting for a chance to break into that core group.

The two-match window featured seven scorers, a different starting XI every half and was all about giving players equal opportunity on the pitch. Some who did not feature on Tuesday, for example, had significant roles in the team’s first match against Paraguay.

There were some clear standouts on Tuesday, like Bethune, Joseph and Sams. Oke, who was called into camp as a replacement for Avery Patterson, was also instrumental in sparking the momentum that helped propel Bethune.

“It’s been the best camp I’ve seen from Croix in terms of her approach, her application,” Hayes said. “She’s quick, she’s clever. She can unlock things. She can see a pass… I can feel that Croix is going to take another level in her game.”

Bethune, the 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year, only recorded her first goal contribution for the U.S. on Saturday, when she assisted Sears against Paraguay. Bethune nearly scored during that first match, instead forcing an own goal. It was clear her hunger to score carried into Tuesday.

Sears, the top American scorer in the NWSL last year, has also developed into one of Hayes’ more consistent scorers in this group. Her impact can be immediate. Her strength was on display as she powered through defenders; she also scored within the first minute of the second half. Sears and Rodman were the two players who scored in both matches.

This window also marked Rodman’s triumphant return to the international stage. On Tuesday, she reminded fans why she is one of the highest-paid players in the world. She came off the bench in the 63rd minute. Five minutes later, she scored a stunner following an assist from debutant Riley Jackson. Rodman once again celebrated with the viral “Sexy Dexy” dance — and, this time, she managed to get Hayes to join her.

Hayes stressed that part of her assessments from this window included identifying players’ placements within the program’s long-term plans. If a player does not break into this core group for 2027, she said, they could be regarded as players for the 2028 Olympics or even the 2031 World Cup.

“It’s doing two or three things all at once,” Hayes said, “but that’s what development is.”

This being the last experimental window feels like the turning of a page for this USWNT under Hayes. Since she took over in 2024, the team has etched out an entire ecosystem at under-23 level, with it being a development pathway into the senior side.

Hayes referenced how, during this window, less experienced players were able to seamlessly transition to the senior side. She referenced Maddie Dahlien, Jackson, Joseph and 19-year-old Jordyn Bugg.

“You understand the way we want to play, because (U23 head coach) Heather (Dyche) and her team are doing some of that groundwork so it’s seamless to transition,” Hayes said. “That was the aim of our U23 program, and I think it’s paying dividends.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

US Women’s national team, Women’s Soccer, FIFA Women’s World Cup

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