Emma Hayes Praised For Five-Word Message During Belgium vs Iran

He joined in April 2024, having previously worked at VAVEL as Deputy Editor-in-Chief, where he produced a variety of content, including pieces from press conferences and games. He also won an award for his role as lead editor for the Women's Football section of the online newspaper.

Covering football all across Europe, he has worked at stadiums such as Anfield, Old Trafford, and Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park, as well as having reported at both the 2023 men's and women's Champions League finals in Eindhoven and Istanbul.

He is infatuated with every aspect of football, but likes other sports as well, being an avid coffee-desperate Buffalo Bills supporter from across the pond and a darts' newbie. Sign in to your GiveMeSport account ITV pundit Emma Hayes is being praised for a five-word message she sent to viewers during Iran's World Cup match against Belgium on Friday night.

The USA Women's head coach has found herself on both sides of the praise and criticism divide during this summer's showpiece tournament. Her in-depth analysis during hydration breaks has shown why she's regarded as one of the best in the business.

However, after being placed on a TV set that some viewers likened to a kitchen, a sexism row quickly went into overdrive. Many of football's more old-fashioned followers seized the opportunity to take aim at the seven-time Women's Super League winner. Now, though, Hayes appears to have delivered a message of her own.

ITV have been called out after the footage sparked outrage on social media.

While going about her usual business of dissecting early tactics and offering a perfect deep dive that is both understandable but complex enough so that so-called football experts can still learn something away from other pundits' dumbed-down analysis, Hayes takes a minute to stop what she's doing, and reveal the wording on her back (see below):

The 'beautiful' quote was a message from her dad before he passed away, and seems to have acted as a defiant message against the unnecessary criticism she has faced recently.