Emma Hayes, head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team, has spoken candidly about her experience with anxiety during menopause, revealing that it was the first time in her life she truly understood what living with mental distress felt like.

In an emotional conversation with Kelly Somers for BBC Sport, the former Chelsea manager described how menopause reshaped both her personal and professional life — forcing her to confront vulnerabilities she had never encountered before.

“I had never experienced anxiety until the menopause,” Hayes said. “I’d managed Champions League finals, pressure, media, everything… but suddenly, I couldn’t control how I felt. It was frightening.”

From Command to Vulnerability

Known for her fierce composure and tactical brilliance, Hayes has built a career on control — controlling matches, locker rooms, and pressure. But she says the menopause stripped that sense of command away.

“I’d wake up with my heart racing for no reason,” she recalled. “I’d go into training and feel uneasy, even when nothing was wrong. It wasn’t stress — it was something chemical, something I couldn’t will my way out of.”

Hayes, 48, said the transition made her reassess how women in high-performance environments are treated — especially when navigating hormonal and emotional changes

“We talk about injury recovery, nutrition, recovery science — but we don’t talk about menopause. Not in football, not in sport, not enough anywhere.”

Breaking the Silence in Sport

Hayes has long been an advocate for women’s health in football. During her time at Chelsea, she pushed for menstrual cycle tracking in training schedules and more open dialogue about female physiology among coaching staff.

Her openness now, as a global head coach, pushes that advocacy into an even more personal space — one where mental health intersects with biology.

“The more successful women become, the more invisible these struggles are expected to be,” Hayes said. “That’s the silence I want to break.”

Sports psychologists working with female athletes say Hayes’ comments could have a ripple effect across the industry.

“Hearing a coach of Emma’s stature talk about menopause so candidly validates the experiences of thousands of women in elite sport,” said Dr. Naomi Tenenbaum, a performance psychologist with the English FA. “It reframes strength — not as stoicism, but as honesty.”

The Pressure of Leadership

Since taking charge of the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2024, Hayes has been navigating not only the expectations of leading one of the most successful teams in football history, but also the personal transformation that comes with midlife.

“The U.S. job is a privilege, but it’s also pressure like no other,” she said. “There were days I wondered if I could still give the same energy. But you find a new rhythm. You learn to listen to your body instead of fighting it.”

Her approach has resonated deeply within the U.S. setup. Players have described her leadership as “human,” “compassionate,” and “real.”

“She’s teaching us that being vulnerable doesn’t make you weak,” said U.S. captain Lindsey Horan. “It makes you authentic — and that’s powerful.”

A Broader Conversation

Hayes’ remarks come amid a growing push across sports for better menopause awareness policies, from training adaptations to medical support for female staff.

Clubs including Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea have already begun implementing menopause support frameworks. In the U.S., the NWSL recently launched its first wellness initiative specifically addressing hormonal health.

Still, Hayes believes the conversation has barely begun.

“We’ve normalized talking about ACLs and concussions,” she said. “Now we need to normalize this. Because for women in sport, menopause is inevitable — and it changes everything.”

The Takeaway

Emma Hayes’ story is more than a personal confession — it’s a reminder that even the most successful figures in sport face unseen battles.

Her openness reframes strength as transparency and leadership as empathy — a message that reaches far beyond football.

“If my story helps one woman feel less alone, then it’s worth sharing,” she said. “Menopause doesn’t end you — it just forces you to meet yourself again.”