Emma Hayes said on Wednesday (July 24) she had "dreamed of this moment since I was a little girl" as she prepared to lead the United States into the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Hayes, the English coach of the U.S. women's national soccer team, is hoping she will be able to take the team to their fifth Olympic title after taking the reins earlier this year.
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No opposing team has found the back of the U.S. net through Hayes' first four games in charge, but a 0-0 draw against 44th-ranked Costa Rica in the Americans' final Olympic tune-up match sent a shiver through U.S. fans' spines.
After a productive week of training in Marseilles, Hayes said she had full confidence in the team, which features eight returning members from the Tokyo squad.
Their Group B opponents on Thursday (July 25), Zambia, are a distant 64th in the rankings and have little Olympic experience, after making their Games debut in Tokyo.
(Production: Noemie Olive, Henry Rounce)