USWNT skipper Lindsey Horan explains leadership style & whether she wants to become a coach

At 29 years of age, the United States international still has plenty of playing days left ahead of her. She is looking to make the most of those, with the highly-decorated midfielder very much in the business of trophy collecting. She added another honour to her impressive CV when inspiring the USWNT to W Gold Cup glory.

That competition allowed Horan to get her hands on a first major honour as captain of her country, and she has told FIFA’s official website when asked about her approach to leadership: “I want to be as open as possible. I want everyone to feel comfortable reaching out to me, but I also want to be able to notice when someone may need some help or guidance. I've always said I want to be a players’ captain. I also want to be a voice to make sure our team is in the right spot with the coaching staff – that there is nothing mixed up or things left unsaid.

"I believe that’s the role of a captain, especially in a tournament when it's stressful as hell – making sure the stress of the coach doesn't come on the players and the stress of the players doesn't come on the coach. Being captain is a big responsibility and a huge honour. I just want to make a positive impact on every individual in the team, try to get the best out of them, learn what makes them tick and what motivates them. It's a cool role to have. It's a very inspiring thing."

As a talismanic leader, Horan would appear to be a perfect candidate for managerial roles of the future. She added when asked if that is a career path that appeals to her: “I would love to stay involved in soccer. Whether that's as a coach or not, I go back and forth all the time. I’ve thought about it a lot. Sometimes I have to stop myself, because I'm still a player and if I get too much into that [coaching mindset], I'll be too critical on the field with individuals and I'll be thinking way too much. Coaching is something I believe I could be really good at, but you never know. We've seen a lot of players who have gone down that path and it doesn't go in the right direction. It's got to be the right time and with the right team, but it could be a cool thing.”

Horan will look to take important lessons from the coaches that she continues to work under, with Emma Hayes preparing to take charge of the USWNT in 2024 as they continue their countdown to a gold medal bid at the Olympic Games in Paris.