USWNT coach Hayes brings Horan to tears after gold medal win

Emma Hayes clearly has an effect on her players.

If that couldn’t be seen by the coach leading the U.S. women’s national team to a gold medal in just her 10th game in charge, it was clearly demonstrated after the game.

Hayes and her captain Lindsey Horan faced the media following Saturday’s 1-0 win over Brazil in the gold medal game. Mallory Swanson’s goal in the second half settled a tense game, giving the USWNT its fifth gold medal and first since 2012.

Horan started every game of the Olympics, playing nearly every minute, but faced some criticism over her performances in France. Perhaps sensing this, Hayes interrupted her post-game press conference to deliver some words of praise for the midfielder.

“I should actually say something that I think is really important,” Hayes began. “This leader beside me, you don’t see all the work she does off the pitch. You don’t see all the conversations she has, whether it’s helping nurture a young player, or whether it’s to settle nerves or to remind people of their confidence or to push back on the things that matter most. She has put performance first, she has put winning first.

“And yes, we are at an Olympics but not at any point on our days off did we do unnecessary things, or do things that put the team’s performance in jeopardy. She took hard decisions with the players. And I really admire that in her.

“I can see not only why she’s the leader of this team, but she made my job so much easier because she was firm with everyone, but also very fair. I’m delighted for Lindsey because she deserves that, and doesn’t always get the credit she deserves and it’s been an honor for me to work with her.”

Sitting next to her coach, Horan was moved to tears.

“Don’t ask me any more questions!” the midfielder said with a laugh.

Watch Hayes move Horan to tears

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