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Emma Hayes, Sam Coffey USWNTGetty/GOAL
Celia Balf

'They don’t make players like Sam Coffey anymore' - USWNT coach Emma Hayes praises midfielder's 'next woman up' mentality as 26-year-old's career soars

Coffey is a solution-seeker who finds ways out of pressure, looks to tell a story through the way she commands the midfield

In 2023, Sam Coffey wasn't selected to represent the U.S. women's national team at the FIFA World Cup. It was an omission that indelibly changed the then 24-year-old. Coffey has always been a battler - a true 50/50 ball-winning six who was raised in Sleepy Hollow, New York and brought up in a family of journalists.

Coffey, too, studied journalism and her inquisitive nature and problem-solving demeanor come through in the way she plays. She's a solution-seeker who finds ways out of pressure on the pitch and constantly looks to tell a story through the way she commands the midfield.

In 2021, Coffey was the 12th pick by the Portland Thorns in the NWSL College Draft. She was fresh off leading the Nittany Lions to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament, but in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, everything was uncertain. Eventually, in 2022, Coffey signed a two-year contract with the Thorns and has been with them ever since.

In her rookie season she won a NWSL Championship, and now, three-years later is the captain of the Portland squad.

In 2024, Coffey was named to Emma Hayes' Olympic roster - just one year after she hadn't made the World Cup cut. By making the Olympic team, she would experience her first international championship along with such newcomers as Jaedyn Shaw, Jenna Nighswonger and Korbin Albert.

Although Coffey has really only been with the USWNT since 2024 on the international stage, her presence is that of an experienced veteran, prompting Hayes to say, "They don’t make players like Sam Coffey anymore."

After helping the USWNT bring home gold in Paris, it's been a whirlwind for Coffey, who's career continues to rise.

"She's in the form of her life," Hayes said after the USWNT's recent friendlies. "She's getting better with every game and I think she's finding her flow."

The role that Coffey plays for the USWNT is essential. She binds the team, the glue that holds each line together and creates the rhythm of the game. Coffey's style of play is very much old-school in the way she's just a ball-winning defensive midfielder. However, in recent years has been challenged to play further up the field and experiment in the double pivot spot.

The result? She now has four goals across all 38 appearances, with two of those coming in the past round of friendlies.

As the USWNT prepares for the 2027 World Cup, Coffey has emerged into a leader. Though only 26, she's viewed st a veteran on this current inexperienced squad (Hayes left off a number of top players for the recent friendlies).

In matches against Ireland and Canada, Coffey was paired in the double pivot with Claire Hutton, the 19-year-old also out of New York. Hutton and Coffey play similar in their mannerism - safe, composed, and positionally locked in at all times.

Hayes having them play a double pivot pulls them out of their typical spots and challenges them to play higher up the pitch. The relationship between the two players sprouted quickly.

"We have trust in each other," Hutton said of Coffey. "We have trust in different people having the ball. And I think that just goes to show that the way Emma is creating the team culture in the chemistry between us is unmatched."

Trust is the name of the game, with Hayes saying, "I feel like everybody is not just trusting the process, but they're carrying out all the things we ask them to do. And know everybody showed themselves so so well."

  • Sam Coffey USWNT vs IrelandGetty Images

    'She's in the form of her life'

    After winning Gold at the Paris Olympics, Coffey has been non-stop. In just a couple years, she's went from watching the USWNT compete at the World Cup, to leading the team to an Olympic Gold. She's been one of the few players who were part of that team in France that have been continuously rostered and healthy for the SheBelieves Cup and games post-tournament.

    "She's elevating all the time in her performances," Hayes said. "I say this all time, she is a top, top player, and what a great role model for Claire and someone to grow alongside."

    If you ask Coffey about her performances, she rarely talks about herself. A true midfielder, she talks about just about everyone but her, referencing the team's cohesion and execution.

    "I think we're just feeling really dominant, feeling like we're playing our best soccer right now," Coffey said after the USWNT's commanding 3-0 win over Canada. "We're so proud that we were able to come out with a 3-0 win against a really good team. That is not something we take lightly. And again, it's kind of just another step in the journey and evolution we're taking as a group, and we just want to keep taking steps forward."

    Steps, for Coffey, are quite literal. She never looks too far ahead, but rather sets practical goals and is fully present in every practice, game, and team meeting. She's no stranger to having to step up. Take Portland this current season, for example. At the end of last year, some of the greatest of all time players in Portland and women's soccer history announced their retirements: Becky Sauerbrunn, Christine Sinclair, and Meghan Klingenberg.

    Coffey, at NWSL Media Day, spoke about the impact those greats made on her.

    "I look up to them so much and it was just such a privilege to do that alongside them," she said.

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    'It's just next woman up'

    And that has allowed her to focus on the task at hand, not about who might or might not be on the roster at a given time.

    "Obviously our three top goal scorers are all out for various reasons, and we miss them so much and can't wait for their return," Coffey said, referring to Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson. "But I think we also have a mindset of like, let's keep getting the job done in their honor and as we anticipate their return.

    "I think everyone takes that responsibility very close to heart. Whether you're a six or a defender or a forward - it's ultimately all of our jobs to win games. It's never like on one person. It just goes to also show like the belief that everyone has in themselves and in one another to get that job done."

    It's a common language amongst the team that everyone deserves to be there. It's articulated by the players and the staff, and for Coffey to know that - regardless if the roster is packed with teenagers or long-time veterans, of a combination thereof - it's never about comparing what was done before, but rather just stepping into that role necessary.

    "It's just next woman up," Coffey said confidently. "I think that starts with Emma and her staff and creating that in our environment."

  • Claire Hutton USWNT vs CanadaGetty Images

    Everyone wants to play next to Sam

    Coffey has played next to Hutton, she's played next to Sam Meza, Lily Yohannes, Lindsey Heaps, and more. At this rate, Coffey has proved there really isn't a youngster or veteran she can't gel next to - and at this rate, everyone wants to play alongside her.

    Hutton scored her first international goal in the USWNT's win over Canada and after the game, smiling ear-to-ear said, "Today I played next to Sam, and I played next to Sam the first game, so just knowing that I have these other players to learn from and grow with is incredible."

    Earlier this year, Yohannes also got to experience Coffey's leadership in the midfield.

    "I think it's really great to play next to Sam," she said. "She's such a great player. And really like a two six who controls the game well. I think she we communicate well on the pitch. She gives me good communication of where to be and how we want to work together. And I think we work well together."

    There's a mentality and an expectation set, and different players are finding their groove and way within that system. Coffey is the USWNT way through and through, and from 2023 - when she missed the World Cup - until today, she continues to prove one very important point: they truly don't make players like Coffey anymore.