Chelsea's Emma Hayes named head coach of U.S. women's soccer team

Chelsea's Emma Hayes was formally named the new head coach of the U.S. women's team Tuesday but she won't take over the four-time Women's World Cup winners until May, leaving her a short time with the team before it begins play in the Paris Olympics in late July.

Interim coach Twila Kilgore will continue to lead the team until Hayes' arrival after the Women's Super League season ends, and then she will become one of her assistants.

"This is a huge honour to be given the opportunity to coach the most incredible team in world football history," Hayes said in a prepared statement. "The feelings and connection I have for this team and for this country run deep. I've dreamed about coaching the USA for a long time so to get this opportunity is a dream come true. I know there is work to do to achieve our goals of winning consistently at the highest levels."

Chelsea had announced this month that the 47-year-old Hayes was leaving the defending league champions at the end of the season to "pursue a new opportunity outside of the WSL and club football." Hayes has won 14 major trophies at Chelsea, including six WSL titles.

Ahead of Chelsea's 3-0 victory over Everton last weekend, Hayes would not comment on speculation she had agreed to terms with the U.S. She said she was stepping down to spend more time with her 5-year-old son, citing both long hours and a lengthy commute.

She will succeed Vlatko Andonovski, who resigned following the poor showing by the Americans in this summer's Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The United States, which had won two straight World Cups, fell on penalties after a scoreless draw with Sweden in the Round of 16, the earliest-ever exit for the Americans in the tournament.

The United