Chelsea Women have bid farewell to the iconic manager Emma Hayes, as Sonia Bompastor is set to lead in west London. Bompastor has been appointed as the new head coach of Chelsea Women, replacing Hayes at Stamford Bridge. Hayes, who led the Blues to a fifth consecutive Women’s Super League title, left to join the United States Women’s national team. Bompastor was expected to step in for Hayes, and the news was confirmed after Chelsea reached a compensation agreement with Lyon Women. The 43-year-old has signed a four-year contract with Chelsea, departing Lyon after a successful three-year tenure that included three league titles and a 2022 Women’s Champions League victory. Chelsea’s general manager, Paul Green, expressed satisfaction with the recruitment process that led to Bompastor’s appointment, emphasizing her coaching philosophy and winning mentality as key factors. Bompastor, who claimed seven titles during her time at Lyon, recently suffered a loss in the Champions League final against Barcelona. She had an illustrious playing career, earning 156 caps with the French national team before transitioning to coaching. Joining Bompastor at Chelsea are assistants Camille Abily and Theo Rivrin, as the team gears up for a new chapter following Hayes’ departure after a successful 12-year tenure that saw 14 major domestic titles.
