“Not a predictor of future success” – Emma Hayes has the gold medal under her belt, giving Jaedyn Shaw, Alyssa Thompson and the USWNT youth an opportunity to compete against Iceland

As fun as this summer was, the calendars are now aligned with fall. And with fall comes new beginnings, especially for the U.S. Women's National Team. Mission accomplished with a gold medal at the Summer Olympics, it starts again this week when Emma Hayes' side take on Iceland in two friendly matches.

These are the first games since the USWNT won gold, the first chance to turn the tide. Hayes, in particular, has been vocal about the new challenges. She is looking forward to them.

“The Olympics provide a great foundation and they are a great foundation for us,” Hayes said, “but they are not an indicator of success in the future.”

Hayes needs to adjust the player pool by introducing a new generation over the next three years. She has to figure out which veterans have staying power and which are transition players. She must take advantage of this opportunity to build the team in her own image after a fast-paced first summer.

And that brings us back to this camp, the first look at how Hayes will build this team for the 2027 World Cup. The USWNT plays Iceland on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas, and then again on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. in Nashville. What can we expect from the USWNT in these two games, followed by a third against Argentina? GOAL takes a look at it.