Is Emma Hayes influencing USWNT players to go abroad?: ‘They have their own mind’

Laken Litman

College Football & Soccer Analyst

When Emma Hayes took over as the United States women’s national team head coach less than a year ago, there was some thought that, because of her background and success at Chelsea, more American players would pack their bags to get a taste of what it’s like to compete overseas.

There’s a long history of U.S. players leaving the States for clubs abroad at the beginning of a new cycle. That’s where the USWNT finds itself now with the next major tournament — the 2027 World Cup in Brazil — still two years away. Megan Rapinoe went to Lyon in 2013 (ahead of the 2015 World Cup), Alex Morgan went there in 2017 (two years before the 2019 tournament) and then briefly to Tottenham in 2020, Crystal Dunn played for Chelsea from 2017-18 before making her first World Cup roster in 2019, and so on.

So it’s not a total surprise that Naomi Girma, Jenna Nighswonger and Dunn recently left their respective National Women’s Soccer League clubs during the last transfer window for new environments in Europe. Emily Fox made the move a year ago. They join a group of Americans already playing overseas, including Lindsey Heaps, Catarina Macario, Korbin Albert, Lily Yohannes and more.

These moves are not directly because of Hayes or her influence. In fact, anytime she’s been asked about the topic recently, her answers have been consistent.

“There’s always an assumption that the national team coach either encourages [players to go abroad] or stops that from happening,” Hayes said. “The reality is, the players, they’re their own people. They have their own mind. So, when clubs want to sell their players to Europe, if the player wants that, then the players will always have my blessing, because I ultimately just want them to be happy, and I want them to feel developed, because I think happy players and well-developed players will equate to success on the pitch.

“My perspective on this is really, really simple,” Hayes added. “If players make that individual decision, then I support that.”

The 2025 NWSL season begins Friday when the reigning league champion Orlando Pride host the Chicago Stars, and the Washington Spirit visit the Houston Dash.

Of course, this season won’t feature some of the most recognizable stars, such as Girma, who was the headline the offseason when she became women’s soccer’s first $1 million transfer player with her move from the San Diego Wave to Chelsea. Nighswonger and Dunn’s moves followed soon after, causing a stir and maybe a little panic for fans of the league.

But any concern is mostly an overreaction, Hayes said. A large percentage of USWNT players compete in the NWSL, and some made notable moves within the league this offseason. For example, Lynn Biyendolo left NJ/NY Gotham for the Seattle Reign, Jaedyn Shaw went from the San Diego Wave to the North Carolina Courage, and Yazmeen Ryan was traded from Gotham to the Dash.

“I think the NWSL is a top league,” Hayes said. “It is the most competitive league from top to bottom. It’s still a league where the vast majority of our players want to be in.

“But sometimes there’s a personal preference. Some players might want to take part in something different and explore something different. And like I said, the clubs own their contracts. If they make those decisions, there’s nothing I can do about it anyway. But I wouldn’t. That’s not who I am. I think it’s only right for the players to decide what their futures are and that’s between the player and the club.”

When players choose to go on an “adventure,” as Dunn recently called her decision to move from Gotham to Paris Saint-Germain, some like to consult with Hayes, usually just to pick her brain or ask about a specific club. For a younger player like Nighswonger, Hayes told her that “Arsenal is one of the top clubs in the world” and she thinks that “it will be a great move for her.” They also discussed where she needs to develop — Nighswonger has played left back for club and country, but could also play higher as an attacking midfielder and can get that experience in England.

“They just want to get a sense from me if I know anything about any of the environments they’re going to or what my thoughts are on it,” Hayes said. “I’m always about, ‘What’s right for you? Where are you at? What are your needs?’ And I think it’s great for the women’s game that there are these opportunities for our players. But it’s so deeply personal.

“Like for Yazmeen Ryan, she’s a player that absolutely wanted to play in the NWSL. And for someone like Jenna Nighswonger, she’s like, I’ve wanted to go abroad since I was eight. And my philosophy on this is, ‘Who am I to tell them what they can and can’t do?’ We spend enough time as women being told enough of that. And if they can make a great living doing what they’re doing and they’re happy doing it, then I just want them to know they have my full support and nothing more.”

For a veteran like Dunn, who previously played for Hayes at Chelsea, it’s more about keeping the U.S. manager in the loop and feeling supported rather than asking for advice.

“She gave me a lot of space to make whatever decision I needed to make for myself and I really appreciated her support knowing it wasn’t an easy time for me to transition into a new environment,” Dunn recently told FOX Sports. “She wanted the best for me. She was like, ‘Whatever environment you choose, I hope it’s going to give you everything you need as a player and also, hopefully, you experience something amazing where you want to walk into work every single day.’

“I appreciated her support in allowing me to make the decision that I needed to make and figure out myself.”

Heaps, who has spent much of her professional career in France, has always been an advocate for her U.S. teammates going abroad. She was the first American teenage girl to skip college and play professionally in Europe with PSG a few months after graduating from high school in 2012. She returned to play for the Portland Thorns for six years before going back to France and has been with Lyon since 2022.

“It’s just a different challenge for a player that’s been in the NWSL … to get out of your comfort zone,” the USWNT captain told FOX Sports. “I think that’s always a positive thing. You grow up fast when you go to a new country in a new environment and have to learn off and on the field.”

But similarly to Hayes, Heaps doesn’t want to be too persuasive.

“I have little conversations here and there with anyone that has the thought of going to Europe,” Heaps said. “Lyon was part of the picture for Naomi and I really didn’t want to be a big influence on that decision because I wanted it to be Naomi’s decision. I made sure she knew everything that Lyon had to offer and obviously I wanted her to play there, so giving her any bit of advice on that. But for me personally, when talking to these players, I want them to make their own decision and I would never push anyone to do one thing or another. I’ll always give my opinion, but it’s ultimately on them.”

When Girma joined Chelsea and was announced as the Blues’ newest addition ahead of a match against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in January, Heaps was in the crowd supporting her.

“It was a very proud moment,” Heaps said, adding that the significance of Girma’s record transfer is “absolutely massive.”

Girma made her club debut on March 2 in a draw vs. Brighton, but left early after going down with an apparent calf injury in the 59th minute. While reports indicate it’s not serious, Girma will have to wait a little longer to understand how it feels to play in the WSL vs. NWSL.

Fox, who has been with Arsenal since January 2024, can already see a difference.

“I think for me, it’s every day,” Fox said. “The players I train with, they’re all stars on their national teams. I think with that, you just have a lot of inspiration and competition in training. And then within the games, it’s the same thing. I’m playing against some of the best players in the world. So I think that has prepared me for coming [into USWNT camps] where it’s the exact same thing with the best players in the U.S.”

Dunn has been with PSG for about a month, and said “trainings have already been incredible to just feel like I’m getting better day by day.”

“It added new elements to my game and it challenged me in ways that, if I had stayed in the NWSL, I technically wouldn’t have been exposed to different obstacles,” Dunn noted of her first move abroad back in 2017. “And I think where I’m at right now in my career is, I wanted a new adventure. My son is learning French. And I think this is something that at this point in my career I was really excited to have something so completely new to experience.”

More USWNT players could end up overseas before the World Cup — Sam Coffey told reporters at the SheBelieves Cup that while she’s committed to the Thorns, playing in Europe has been a goal “for the longest time” and she’s not “closing any doors or ruling anything out.” Trinity Rodman, who makes up one third of the USWNT’s famous ‘Triple Espresso,’ told ESPN this week that she’d “kick myself if I retired” and had not played in Europe. For her, it’s “just a matter of when,” she said.

Regardless of who goes next and when, what kind of impact would the increasing number of USWNT players in Europe have on the squad leading up to the next World Cup and Olympics?

“It’s hard to tell,” Dunn said. “I know everyone’s probably like, ‘Oh there’s a wave of these players leaving.’ And I’m like, yeah that’s happening now, but I can’t sit here and say that it’s going to be the new way of life or the new way of women’s soccer.

“I think at the end of the day, everyone has to make the decision that’s best for them and their career.”

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.

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