Emma Hayes' USWNT locker room secret as she hails player as 'most popular'
The USWNT has had a key player above all others since Emma Hayes took charge.
Catarina Macario's return to the revamped U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT) has been a testament to her resilience, overcoming a devastating ACL tear in 2022 and subsequent knee issues that sidelined her for two years. During her recovery, she made the switch from French powerhouse Lyon to Chelsea in the Women's Super League.
Since debuting for the London club in March 2024, the 26 year old has bounced back impressively, netting five goals in 15 WSL matches and helping her team clinch the championship title.
Macario donned the USWNT jersey again in February for the first time since Emma Hayes, the former Chelsea manager, took the helm in June 2024. Hayes has praised Macario as "one of the most popular people in our dressing room," and her performance on the pitch has lived up to that reputation.
She scored in the USWNT's 2-0 win over Colombia and played in their narrow 2-1 defeat to Japan, which decided the title.
Back in action with the USWNT in April, Macario started in both friendly matches against Brazil, scoring in the 2-1 loss and earning high praise from Hayes. Speaking to Goal, Hayes remarked, "I think Cat's been really good this camp, really shown her qualities to hold the ball up and play.
"In fact, I felt we just didn't get enough support around her. The longer the game went on, and once she went out of the game, it showed. We missed that ability to hold the ball up in the way she does. I think it's been really, really good progress for her."
Despite having only 23 appearances for the USWNT, Macario has emerged as one of the team's seasoned players lately, with coach Hayes prioritising adding depth and nurturing young talent in their extensive build-up to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.
In dialogue with Goal, Macario reflected on the integration of new players: "I think it's just to be honest, this group is very special and I think that with every young player, when they come in, they're surprisingly, just like, ready to go and ready to step into it. We just have a culture in which we just want to help each other."
Showing enthusiasm for teamwork, she noted that the USWNT had "a very welcoming and open team and I like to think that every player is able to go to anyone and ask for advice and lean on one another."
This thriving environment could be pivotal for the team's prospects, particularly given that in their latest gathering, out of the 24 athletes chosen, Phallon Tullis-Joyce alongside Avery Patterson were poised for their international debuts, plus four others were 21 or younger: Alyssa Thompson, Ally Sentnor, Jaedyn Shaw, and Lily Yohannes.
The USWNT will regroup at the end of May for home matches against China and Jamaica on the 31st and June 3, respectively, and look forward to additional friendly encounters including duels with the Republic of Ireland and Canada later in the summer.
