Go bold, go gold: Winners and losers from the USWNT's historic fifth Olympic title, resounding return to elite status

U.S. Soccer waited for her and she immediately delivered. It doesn't get much better than that.

Hayes was painted as a savior when she was hired, but no one expected her to do it this quickly. In just 10 games, she turned this team into gold medalists. Given what we saw last summer, the turnaround is not just unexpected, it's virtually unbelievable. Just one year after struggling in all facets, the U.S. figured it all out during a remarkable run in the Olympics, with every area of the field playing its part.

Give credit to the players. They did the hard work. This team was locked in from the start and, ultimately, their talent showed itself in Paris. But give Hayes her flowers, too. She rebuilt the confidence and, more notably, rebuilt this program, all since arriving from Chelsea in late May. It's been just a few months, but the Hayes Era is already off to a legendary start.

“Winning’s in my DNA," Hayes said. "I’m used to being in finals, I’m used to competing for trophies. And so is the U.S. women’s national team."

Entering the Games, the script called for this to be the summer of Jaedyn Shaw. The build was there. The teenager had spent the last year terrorizing defenses, looking like the player that would make all the difference after last year's World Cup failure.

There was a difference. of course. Unfortunately, Shaw wasn't involved.

The San Diego Wave star never featured in Paris, as injuries kept her out of the matchday squad for the first few games of the tournament. By the time the U.S. reached the business end of the competition, the attack was set. Shaw, whatever her fitness level, was listed as a substitute but never played.

It's a shame, too, because she is so damn good. The world will find that out soon enough. It wasn't to be this summer but give it a few years; Shaw will have her moment.

They went to Paris with question marks and left with a nickname. Oh, and gold medals. And, because of that, Triple Espresso will go down as the definitive storyline of this summer of success for the USWNT.

The trio of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson cemented their place in U.S. lore by leading this team to gold, in a very literal sense. As a group, they scored 10 of the USWNT's 12 goals at the Olympics, with each taking a turn with a game-winner in three straight 1-0 victories culminating in the Gold Medal match win over Brazil. They were nothing short of sensational.

That was huge for Rodman and Smith, both of whom struggled to get going at the World Cup. It was even bigger for Swanson, who returned to the team after missing the World Cup due to injury. This was redemption for all three - and it was also so much more.

This is just the start. Swanson is the oldest of the three at 26, and if an incredible Olympic run is any indication, Triple Espresso will be terrorizing teams for years to come.

"I think joy and belief - two biggest words for us," Rodman told reporters. "We've been having so much fun. But again, we still push each other really hard. I think there's a misconception of 'Oh, they laugh and dance all the time at training. They're not serious.' But we just proved to everyone that we are, and we take this very serious."

She was the unsung hero in some ways, but Naeher is now getting the praise she deserves. She's the USWNT's "Uncle" and she was also arguably the USWNT's MVP this summer.

Naeher made crucial saves in both the semifinal and final, etching her name in USWNT history. She became the first ever USWNT goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in both an Olympic and World Cup final, solidifying her place as arguably the best this program has seen - which is saying something.

Just as important as her saves, though, was her leadership. A notoriously stoic presence, Naeher let loose just a little bit this summer, much to the benefit of her younger teammates.

“Alyssa has been the best person for Mal, Trin and I,” Smith said after the Gold Medal game. “She’s our biggest supporter, but I do feel like we’ve helped her open up a little bit, even if it’s uncomfortable for her. We give her hugs and tell her how much we appreciate her, because obviously we would not be here right now without Alyssa. We just want to remind her of that every day.”

Whomever comes next in goal for this team will be reminded of that, too. At age 36, this was almost certainly the last time we will see Naeher at a major tournament. She'll keep this job as long as she wants it but, at some point, the baton will be passed.

Good luck to the intrepid soul that succeeds her. Naeher followed a legend herself in Hope Solo, but was able to write her own legacy. If whomever follows her up can do half as well as she did, that will be amazing. But living up to Naeher? Matching what she's meant to this team? Almost impossible.

Emma Hayes described her as the best defender she's ever seen. That's not hyperbole.

If Girma wasn't already the consensus best defender in the world, she is now. The centerback was just about perfect all summer long, providing the stability and leadership any Gold Medal team absolutely needs. All good teams begin with their spine, and there isn't a more solid base for the U.S. than Girma.

What makes her so special is her effortlessness. She cleans up messes before you even see they're there. Teammates' mistakes were wiped away almost instantly. Virtually every dangerous situation is dealt with before it results in any consequences. So much of what Girma does goes unnoticed simply because she notices it before anyone else does.

That can be taken for granted at times, but not this year. Everyone knows how important the centerback was to this team. And, at just 24, everyone knows how important she will be to this team as they look to defend gold and pursue other titles in the years to come.

It isn't going to be easy for the USWNT going forward. The only thing more strenuous than attaining success is maintaining it. The road ahead will be challenging, even with a tremendous base of talent.

But it will be much harder for just about everyone else. Whose hand would you rather play? This is not the somewhat aging team with questionable coaching that flamed out of the World Cup. This is the squad packed with young talent, an innovative and irrepressible coach and freshly awarded gold medals.

Rest of the world, we say this sincerely: good luck.

Everyone else has gotten better. The investment, particularly in Europe, is starting to pay off. Other countries are more talented than ever before and the unknown of injuries is always a threat to every squad. But that doesn't mean they are ready for this USWNT freight train headed their way.

This USWNT group is still so young, and has the luxury of time on their side. Just three members of the starting XI were over 30. This group is in it for the long haul, and there's more talent on the way. Even the USWNT's veteran players, superstars such as Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Horan, have plenty to offer in the years to come, both from a leadership and playing perspective - and certainly celebrated gold.

Glory isn't a given anymore for this USWNT. They aren't the only dominant force in the world game. But as an historic two weeks in Paris proved, they sure as hell are among them - and they're only getting better.

“We are so excited at our potential," Hayes said, "and we are so looking forward to things we can do together. Of course, we like this gold medal, but it doesn’t mean it ends there. We want so much more for ourselves because we’re competitors.

“We’re just at the beginning.”