The story behind USWNT's coach at the Olympics, Emma Hayes - ESPN

Emma Hayes did not need any introduction when she arrived in New York in May for her much-anticipated unveiling as the new head coach of the U.S. women's national team.

Hayes has long been considered one of the best coaches in the world. She has backed that up with 16 trophies in 12 years at Chelsea FC, the English club she led from relative obscurity to a global leader in the women's game during that span.

Hayes is also a larger-than-life personality, someone who commands respect whether she's in a ballroom full of other coaches or surrounded by executives. She casually recounts memories and conversations with coaches ranging from Sir Alex Ferguson and Jurgen Klopp, to basketball icon Dawn Staley.

The USWNT has always featured an abundance of global stars, but there's a legitimate argument that right now, in this moment of transition to a new generation of players yet to win anything, that Hayes is the biggest name on the squad.

«I mean, come on, you're never going to get anyone with a personality like me,» she joked to a small group of reporters in May.

Like everyone who reaches such heights, Hayes was a nobody at some point.

The coach, who has become known over the course of her career for tactical flexibility, introspective answers to the media and a ruthless desire to win, speaks often about how she was «born in England, but made in America.»

Hayes' coaching career started in earnest in 2001, a short drive from the Manhattan meeting room where she held court on this warm May afternoon. She worked at summer youth camps on Long Island, where she soon latched on as a coach of an amateur team before coaching at Iona.

«I remember those days fighting to stay in the country on different visas, wondering if I'm going to get