Emma Hayes officially took her first step as the new coach of the U.S. women’s national team when she announced the 23-player roster for the country’s upcoming friendlies next month against South Korea.

It’s not the official roster that will be used at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but it’s very similar to the group of players that former interim head coach and now assistant coach Twila Kilgore called up at the 2023 Concacaf W Gold Cup and the SheBelieves Cup. 

The latest call-up reflects the continuous efforts of the national team to implement a generational shift, as the roster features a mix of veterans, up-and-coming players and three who have not yet played for the U.S.

Hayes, who arrived in New York City on Thursday, said she expects all her players to adapt to her system and tactics quickly no matter the experience each player has on the international level. 

“I’m really looking forward to getting started,” the former Chelsea boss said in a statement. “The preparations have been well underway and I can’t wait to get into camp. We know it’s a short turnaround and we have a lot of work to do, but I’m fully focused on making sure that the performances are at the levels that are required to compete. I want to build on the work that Twila has been implementing over the last six months. I expect complete commitment from everyone to absorb very quickly the things that I value as the most important so that we can compete this summer.”

Hayes added she expects all players to compete with one another to be a starter on her team, and that age will not play a factor in who gets the nod. 

But how big is the age gap exactly?  

The average age of the latest roster is 26.3 years, which should imply that the squad will barely be entering its “prime” years. But if we take the difference between the oldest player on the team, 34-year-old Alex Morgan, and the youngest, 16-year-old Lily Yohannes, we get an 18-year age difference. 

Both numbers imply the generational shift within the team is real. To further illustrate that, we’re going to show the difference in prices (using gas, milk and homes) and entertainment (movies, songs and albums) in the years that Morgan (1989) and Yohannes (2007) were born. We'll also include the year 1998, which is the result of subtracting the roster's average age (26 years) from the year 2024.

1989 

• Average gas price per gallon (via Title Max): $1.00  
• Average cost to buy a home (via Yahoo! Finance): $148,800
• Average cost of a gallon of milk (NASS of the USDA): $1.17 
• No. 1 movie: Batman
• No. 1 song: “Look Away” by Chicago
• No. 1 album: “Don’t Be Cruel” by Bobby Brown

1998

• Average gas price per gallon: $1.06  
• Average cost to buy a home: $181,900
• Average cost of a gallon of milk: $2.86
• No. 1 movie: Titanic
• No. 1 song: “Too Close” by Next
• No. 1 album: “Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture” by James Horner

2007

• Average gas price per gallon: $2.80  
• Average cost to buy a home: $313,600
• Average cost of a gallon of milk: $3.87
• No. 1 movie: Spider-Man 3
• No. 1 song: “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé
• No. 1 album: “Noel” by Josh Groban

Hayes has repeatedly expressed her excitement about being the new boss of the USWNT, saying the youth and veteran players in her team can lead the country back to being the best in the world. 

“I know they are a highly coachable group and I’m looking forward to challenging them,” she said. “It’s time to go to work. I can’t wait to meet the fans and it’s really time to get behind the team as we get closer to putting a roster together for the Olympics.”

Hayes' first game on the sidelines coaching her new team will be on June 1 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. The USWNT will then head to Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota on June 4. Both friendly matches will be played against South Korea.