It’s okay to be disappointed… but our future is exciting,” said Emma Hayes in the aftermath of the USWNT‘s shocking 1-2 defeat to Japan in the final game of the SheBelieves Cup. Simply put, the English tactician wants everyone to look at the bigger picture despite the fact they finished second place on their home

Despite a 2-1 loss to Japan, Emma Hayes remains optimistic about the USWNT's future, highlighting squad progress and promising development toward the World Cup.

The USWNT's five-year reign as SheBelieves Cup champions ended on Wednesday, but there are reasons to be optimistic for the team's future

The USWNT didn't win its sixth straight SheBelieves Cup, but for Emma Hayes, that's not what this year is about.

"it's okay to be disappointed," U.S. women's national team head coach Emma Hayes said shortly after notching her first loss since taking over last June, a 2-1 defeat to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup finale on Wednesday.

USWNT coach Emma Hayes played down the significance of the team's first loss since she took charge last year, when going down 2-1 to Japan in the SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday.

Hayes is spending most of 2025 broadening the player pool and giving less experienced players more time in the USWNT environment — and that includes goalkeepers. For the better part of the last 10 years, it was a challenge to start anyone in goal other than Naeher, who finished her USWNT career with 110 starts in 113 appearances.

The first defeat for Emma Hayes since taking the USWNT job was a disappointing one, snapping its run of five straight SheBelieves Cup titles, but the experience will help as this team builds toward the next World Cup.

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The United States Women National Soccer Team dropped a tough 2-1 decision in the championship game of the SheBelieves Cup in San Diego, Calif. The USA women were attempting to capture their sixth consecutive title at the tourney.

If the SheBelieves Cup was an opportunity to get a gage on Emma Hayes' rebuild, Sunday's win showed that the USWNT are right on track.

Japan won the SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday with a 2-1 win over the U.S. women's national team, handing the hosts their first loss since Emma Hayes took over as head coach in June. The visitors got off to a quick start by scoring just two minutes into the game,