Australia women's national soccer team
The Australia women's national soccer team is overseen by the governing body for soccer in Australia, Football Australia, which is currently a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the regional ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) since leaving the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) in 2006. The team's official nickname is "the Matildas" (from the Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda"); they were known as the "Female Socceroos" before 1995.[2]
| Nickname(s) | Matildas, Tillies |
|---|---|
| Association | Football Australia |
| Confederation | OFC (Oceania): 1966–2006 AFC (Asia): 2006–present |
| Sub-confederation | AFF (Southeast Asia) |
| Head coach | Tony Gustavsson |
| Captain | Sam Kerr |
| Most caps | Clare Polkinghorne (164) |
| Top scorer | Sam Kerr (69) |
| FIFA code | AUS |
| FIFA ranking | |
| Current | 12 (15 March 2024)[1] |
| Highest | 4 (December 2017) |
| Lowest | 16 (October 2003 – June 2004; September 2005) |
| First international | |
| Australia 2–2 New Zealand (Sydney, Australia; 6 October 1979) | |
| Biggest win | |
| Australia 21–0 American Samoa (Auckland, New Zealand; 9 October 1998) | |
| Biggest defeat | |
| United States 9–1 Australia (Ambler, United States; 5 June 1997) | |
| World Cup | |
| Appearances | 8 (first in 1995) |
| Best result | Fourth place (2023) |
| Olympic Games | |
| Appearances | 4 (first in 2000) |
| Best result | Fourth place (2020) |
| Asian Cup | |
| Appearances | 7 (first in 1975) |
| Best result | Champions (2010) |
| Oceanian Cup | |
| Appearances | 7 (first in 1983) |
| Best result | Champions (1994, 1998, 2003) |
| Southeast Asian Cup | |
| Appearances | 1 (first in 2008) |
| Best result | Champions (2008) |
| Website | Official website |
Australia is a three-time OFC champion, one-time AFC champion and one-time AFF champion. The team has represented Australia at the FIFA Women's World Cup on eight occasions (once as co-host in 2023) and at the Olympic Games on four, although it has won neither tournament.
History edit
Foundation edit
The Australian Women's Soccer Association (AWSA) was founded in 1974[3] and a representative Australian team competed at the 1975 AFC Women's Championship. This team was officially recognised in May 2023, with all 16 members of the squad officially awarded caps.[4] Pat O’Connor captained this team, and her husband Joe was head coach. After finishing runner-up in their group which featured Thailand and Singapore, the Australians would lose 3–2 in the semi-final against New Zealand. A 5–0 win against Malaysia in the third-place playoff meant that the national team came third in the first Asian Cup.[5]
A national team made up primarily of players from New South Wales and Western Australia was sent to the 1978 inaugural Women's World Invitational Tournament, in Taipei, Taiwan.[6] Australia, coached by Jim Selby,[7] played against club teams at the tournament and none of the players' appearances counted as official caps.[8] Prior to May 2023, Australia's first official international match was considered to be against New Zealand at Seymour Shaw Park in Miranda, New South Wales, Australia on 6 October 1979, as it was billed as the "1st Australian Women's International Soccer Test". Jim Selby remained as coach. A lack of resources meant Australia's subsequent seven official matches were all against New Zealand.[9]
The 1980s: Development in Oceania edit
Australia played in the first Oceania Cup in 1983 in New Caledonia, losing the final to New Zealand in extra time. It was the first time the Australians faced a team other than the "Football Ferns" of New Zealand.[10] A team would not be assembled again until the next edition of the tournament in 1986 tournament in New Zealand, which featured Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan, as well as New Zealand's B team. Australia lost in the final again, beaten 4–1 by Taiwan.[11][12]
Throughout the 1980s, the team did not have an official playing kit of its own. The only playing kits available were hand-me-downs that had been donated or discarded by men's teams. Although the players were proud to be wearing an Australian strip, they were never supplied with a kit that fitted them properly. Moreover, on the eve of one international tour, several players famously had to sew the team crest onto their tracksuit jackets with a needle and thread.[13]
The late 80s had Australia encountering the American and European teams for the first time in the 1987 Women's World Invitational Tournament in Taiwan, and the 1988 FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament in China. For the latter tournament, the players had to sew themselves the own Australian crests onto the team tracksuits.[14] Two years later, Australia hosted the 1989 Oceania Cup in Brisbane with Australia entering two teams in Australia A and B.[15] After originally being separated in the two groups,[16] neither team made to the final with Chinese Taipei defeating both Australia B and Australia A to force the Australians to take on each other for the third-place playoff which would be rained out.[17][18]
The following edition in 1991 tournament doubled as qualifiers for the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup, and the winner was determined by the best results from a group.[19] Australia finished level on points with New Zealand, but had scored fewer goals, which resulted in New Zealand progressed to the World Cup as OFC representative.[20]
The 1990s: Continued growth edit
Between 1991 and 1994, the Matildas played internationally during a tour of Russia in 1994.[citation needed] The Oceania tournament in 1994 again doubled as World Cup qualifiers in the same round-robin format. Again, Australia finished even with New Zealand on points but this time had a superior goal difference, and qualified for their first FIFA Women's World Cup.[12]
Before 1995, the nickname for the women's team was just "Female Socceroos", derivative of the male squad. Thus in 1995 the Australian Women's Soccer Association joined with Special Broadcasting Service to broadcast a naming competition for the female team. Out of five names, the popular vote chose "Matildas", from the song "Waltzing Matilda". The players themselves did not approve of the name, and took years to use the moniker to describe the team.[21]
At the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup in Sweden, Australia were grouped with the United States, China and Denmark. During their opening match against Denmark, they lost 5–0.[22] During the team's second match, a 4–2 loss to China, Angela Iannotta scored Australia's first goal at a World Cup.[22] In the final group match against cup holders the United States, Australia scored first but went on to lose 4–1.[22]
In 1996, the team entered into its first kit sponsorship deal, with rising sportswear brand Asics. The deal was initiated during a chance conversation between team manager Tom Sermanni, the CEO of the AWSA, Peter Hugg, and an Asics' representative, Lawrie McKinna, who had become a fan of women's football due to his acquaintance with former team member Janine McPhee. Asics and team management jointly developed the design of the first sponsored strip; it incorporated new technology that made it lighter and more comfortable for the players than their previous kit.[13]
The Matildas would assert their Continental strength at the 1998 Oceania Cup, which doubled as a World Cup qualifying tournament. Australia thrashed their Pacific island opposition in their group games and semi-final, before defeating hosts New Zealand in the final 3–1 (the only goal conceded for the tournament), and qualifying for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup in USA. At the tournament, Australia was grouped with Sweden, China and Ghana. In their opening match, they secured their first non-loss in a World Cup match with a 1–1 draw against the Ghanaians.[23] Their following group matches were both 3–1 losses, finishing third in the group.[24][25]
Australia still did not have much attention and respect, with the Matildas forced to train with second-hand equipment from the Socceroos, not getting paid and with few games to play.[12] In 1999, to promote themselves and raise funds for the team, most of the Matildas posed for an AWSA board-approved nude calendar, which sold over 40,000 units.[21][26]
2000–2004: First Olympics appearances edit
The profile built for the sport carried into 2000, where the Matildas had a guaranteed spot for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. While in January a friendly match against the Czech Republic in Melbourne's Bob Jane Stadium attracted only 1,500 spectators, a crowd of 10,000 came to the Matildas' game against China at the Sydney Football Stadium in June.[21] Much anticipation surrounded the team's Olympic performance on home soil, but a 3–0 loss to Germany in their opening game brought those hopes down. A draw with Sweden and a final loss to Brazil ended their tournament in the first round. While the on-field performance was disappointing, attendances at matches were high for women's soccer in Australia, raising the profile of the game.
The team were the host nation for an annual invitational tournament called the Australia Cup, from 1999 to 2004 inclusive, winning it twice.
Following the Olympics, many problems halted the Matildas' schedules. As Ernie Merrick backed out on his intentions to coach the team, Adrian Santrac only took over as manager in November, and Australia played no games in 2001. The following year the team argued over the calendar proceeds with the promoter, and AWSA went into liquidation with debts of over $70,000; all of its other assets were absorbed by Soccer Australia (current Football Federation Australia). In-between, many players opted to retire from the national team.[26][27]
In 2003, they competed in the Oceania Cup with the team winning all four matches to the combined score of 45 goals to nil with the closest being a 2–0 win over New Zealand.[28] Qualifying for the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, the Australians were drawn in Group D with China, Ghana and Russia, the Australians only scored a single point at the World Cup with a 1–1 draw against China.[29] Though two losses against Russia and Ghana meant that they finished bottom of the group.[30][31]
The team won the 2004 OFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Fiji to return to Olympic tournament in Athens 2004.[32] The Matildas won their first Olympic game ever against Greece, and managed to qualify for the quarterfinals,[33] losing to Sweden 2–1.[34]
2005–2009: Move to Asia edit
In 2006, Australia moved from the Oceania Football Confederation to the Asian Football Confederation,[35] with the following month seeing the country getting hosting rights for the 2006 AFC Women's Asian Cup.[36] The Australians were drawn in Group B with Myanmar, North Korea, South Korea and Thailand. During the group stage, the Matildas scored eleven goals during the group stage which included a 4–0 win against South Korea[37] but would go on to finish in second place in the group by goal difference. In the semi-final, goals from Caitlin Munoz and Joanne Peters gave Australia a 2–0 win over tournament favorites Japan. This win also meant that the national team qualified through to the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup which was held in China.[38] The Matildas would go to lose in the final by penalties to China with the Chinese coming back from two goals down from half time.[39]
During early 2007, Australia competed in the qualifiers for the 2008 Olympics which was held in China. After sweeping their group with nine points from nine, the Australians would only finish second in the final round group behind North Korea winning both matches against each other by a score of 2–0.[40]
Two months later, Australia draw for the World Cup was revealed with the nation being placed in Group C with Canada, Ghana and Norway.[41] The opening match of the 2007 World Cup saw Australia record their first victory in a World Cup with two goals from Lisa De Vanna assisted Australia to a 4–1 victory over Ghana in Hangzhou.[42] This was followed up with two draws against Norway (1–1) and Canada (2–2) with a late goal from Cheryl Salisbury booking Australia spot into the quarter finals for the first time in team history.[43] In the knockout stage, the Australians came back from two goals down early in the first half to level the match at two-all with goals from De Vanna and Lauren Colthorpe. But a 75th-minute goal from Brazilian striker, Cristiane gave Brazil a 3–2 win which ended the World Cup run at the quarter-final stage.
In 2008, the Matildas competed in the 2008 AFC Women's Asian Cup. They were drawn in Group B, placing second in the group with relative ease behind Japan, who they would eventually face in the third place playoff. With the Matildas progressing from the group stage to the semi-finals, they were paired up against North Korea. North Korea won the match 3–0 and went on to win the tournament. This led them on to the third place playoff, facing Japan for a second time in the tournament and again losing, leaving the Matildas in fourth place.
2010–2013 edit
2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup, China edit
| External videos | |
|---|---|
| Aussies Abroad: The Matildas (ESPN) |
In 2010, the Matildas qualified for the 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup in China. They beat Vietnam (2–0) and South Korea (3–1) before losing to China 1–0 which made them advance in second place and advance to the Semi-finals where they beat Japan 1–0. The final which was played in wet conditions was history making itself with it being the first senior soccer team (men or women) to make a final in the AFC. They created more history by being the first ever Australian soccer team to win in Asia after beating the team of Korea DPR in penalties during the final, 5–4, after a regular time score of 1–1 (Australia's lone and equalising goal being scored by Sam Kerr). The title gave the Matildas a berth at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany.[44]
2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, Germany edit
The following year the team contested the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, held in Germany, being sorted into Group D. Despite losing 1–0 to Brazil in the opening game, victories of 3–2 and 2–1 over Equatorial Guinea and Norway respectively qualified the Matildas to the quarterfinals.[45] At the knockout stage, the team lost 3–1 to Sweden. Caitlin Foord was awarded Best Young Player of the tournament, and defender Elise Kellond-Knight was chosen for the All-Star Team.
2014–2019: Stajcic era edit
After operating as interim head coach of the Matildas in late April and May 2014 for the Matildas’ Asian Cup campaign. In 2014, Alen Stajcic was appointed permanent head coach of the squad in late 2014.[46]
2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup, Vietnam edit
In 2014, the Matildas qualified for the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Vietnam. They drawn in Group A alongside Japan, Vietnam and Jordan, earning 2 victories and a draw with Japan which earnt them second place on goal difference. They were drawn against South Korea in the semi-finals, defeating them 2–1, but ultimately lost 1–0 to Japan in the final.[47]
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Canada edit
The Matildas were drawn in the group of death for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, held in Canada, sharing Group D with USA and Sweden.[48] After first losing to USA 1–3, they came back into contention with a 2–0 defeat of Nigeria. The crunch last game against Sweden resulted in a 1–1 draw, with both goals scored in the first 15 minutes of the game. With Sweden needing to win, the Matildas held on, only needing to draw under the three points for a win system (whereas they would have tied with Sweden in the group under two points for a win).
They became the first Australian team, women's or men's, to win a knockout stage match at a World Cup when they defeated Brazil by a score of 1–0. The goal was scored by Kyah Simon after a shot by Lisa de Vanna was blocked and redirected by goalkeeper Luciana. In the quarterfinals, the Matildas lost to defending champions Japan in a late goal by Mana Iwabuchi.[49]
2016 Olympic Games, Rio edit
The following year, they contested in qualifiers for the 2016 Summer Olympics where they finished on top of the group after defeating all of the opponents bar China,[50] to get to the Olympic Games. Drawn in Group F, Australia lost to Canada, conceded a draw to Germany, and defeated Zimbabwe in a blowout to finish as the best third placed team. The adversary in the quarterfinals were hosts Brazil,[51] who avenged the defeat one year prior in the penalty shootouts as goalkeeper Bárbara saved Alanna Kennedy's kick.[52]
Post 2016 Olympics edit
At the 2017 Tournament of Nations event, the Matildas recorded their first ever win over the United States after 27 attempts, defeating them 1–0 in Seattle.[53] The Matildas went on to defeat Japan 4–2 and Brazil 6–1 to finish as the inaugural tournament champions.[54] Following the Tournament of Nations, the Matildas scheduled a series of two friendlies hosting Brazil, with the first match at Penrith Stadium being sold-out,[55] and an even larger crowd of nearly 17,000 attending the next match 3 days later in Newcastle.[56]
In December 2017, Matildas were awarded the Public Choice Team of the Year at the Australian Institute of Sport Awards.[57]
2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup, Jordan edit
At the 2018 AFC Asian Cup, held in Jordan, Australia reached the final after defeating Thailand in the semi-final on penalty kicks. They would lose 1–0 to Japan in the final, but nonetheless secured a spot at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[58]
Post 2018 Asian Cup edit
Later that year at the 2018 Tournament of Nations Australia once again went undefeated, finishing the tournament with two wins and one draw. They were tied with the United States with 7 points, but the US had a superior goal differential and were crowned tournament champions.[59]
2019–2020: Milicic era edit
Despite entering 2019 on the back of good form and with their highest ever placement on the FIFA ranking list (4th), the Matildas coach Alen Stajcic was sacked from the role in January 2019 by Football Federation Australia (FFA), whose chief executive David Gallop said the decision was based on confidential surveys and conversations with players and staff.[60] The decision proved to be very controversial, as the FFA refused to discuss any further specifics as to the reasoning for the decision and was made only months out from a World Cup appearance. Some players, such as Sam Kerr, Lydia Williams and Elise Kellond-Knight spoke in support of Stajcic and voiced their surprise at his sacking.[61] Former men's national team assistant Ante Milicic was later appointed coach.[62]
2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, France edit
For the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, held in France, Australia was drawn in Group C with Italy, Brazil, and Jamaica. A 2–1 injury time loss to Italy was followed by a 3–2 win against Brazil. This victory was notable for 3 reasons – Australia came back from a 2–0 deficit, these were the first goals conceded by Brazil in the group stage in 16 years and it was their first group stage loss for 24 years.[63] The final group game was a 4–1 win over Jamaica with Sam Kerr scoring all four goals, becoming the first Australian player — male or female — to score a hat trick at a World Cup tournament.[64] The result saw Australia finish second in the group and proceed to play Norway in the round of sixteen. The game finished one-all after both regulation time and extra time with Norway winning the penalty shoot-out 4–1.[65]
2020–present: Gustavsson era edit
In September 2020, Football Federation Australia named Swede and former United States Women's National Soccer Team assistant coach Tony Gustavsson as the Matildas' new head coach, signing him on a deal running through 2024 (up to and including the 2024 Olympics in Paris).[66]
2020 Olympic Games, Tokyo edit
In 2020, the Matildas qualified for the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics where they finished top of all competing nations during the 2020 Asian Football Confederation's Qualifying Tournament.[67] They were placed in Group G with countries Sweden, the United States, and New Zealand, nicknamed the 'Group of Death.'[68] After beating New Zealand, losing to Sweden, and drawing with the United States, they were ranked third in their group and progressed to the quarter finals against Great Britain.[69] The match saw Australia open the scoring with a 1-goal advantage, before Great Britain surpassed them with a 1-goal advantage in the second half. An 89th-minute goal by captain Sam Kerr saw Australia equalise before advancing to extra time. During the extra 30 minutes of play, Mary Fowler and Kerr scored an additional two goals to bring the score to 4–2, before Ellen White completed her hat trick. The game ended with a 4–3 scoreline, resulting in Australia's first entry into an Olympic semi-final, playing against Sweden for the second time in the tournament.[70] Despite a strong performance and a disallowed goal by Kerr, they lost 1–0, relegating them to a bronze medal match playoff against the United States.[71] The semi-final match against Sweden broke women's sport TV viewing records in Australia, with 2.32 million viewers tuning in.[72] In the bronze medal match, they lost 4–3 to the United States, resulting in the Matilda's 7th loss of the year.[73] Finishing fourth, the 2020 Olympics were the Matildas' most successful performance at the Olympics, having previously never progressed beyond the quarter-finals since its inception in 1996.[74]
Post 2020 Olympics edit
After their Olympics bronze medal defeat, Australia played their first ever match against the Republic of Ireland on 21 September 2021, with it being Sam Kerr's 100th cap.[75] In October, they played a series of home friendlies against Brazil, their first matches on home soil since 2019, recording a win and a draw.[76] In November, in their final matches of the 2021 calendar year, they played another series of home friendlies against World Number 1 side the United States, recording a defeat and a draw.[77] These two matches broke attendance records in Australia – the first match played on 27 November in Stadium Australia, Sydney, broke the all-time standalone Matildas home attendance record set in 2000, with 36,109 spectators.[78] The second game broke the attendance record of any Matildas game played at Newcastle, with 20,495 spectators.[78] 2021 also saw a record number of Matildas' debutants, with 13 players making their first senior international caps, and a record number of players reaching the 100th cap milestones, including Emily Van Egmond, Kyah Simon, Sam Kerr, Alanna Kennedy and Tameka Yallop.[79]
2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup, India edit
The Matildas began 2022 by participating in the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup, held in India. They were drawn into Group B, against Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand.[80] They played their opening match against Indonesia, beating them 18–0, a record win for the team against any opponent within the Asian confederation.[81] The game also saw Sam Kerr scoring 5 goals, whereby equalling and surpassing Tim Cahill's previous Australian international goal-scoring record of 50 goals, making Kerr the all-time leading scorer for Australia, both male or female.[81] Australia finished top in their group undefeated, conceding just one solitary goal, however the team crashed out in the quarter-finals to eventual runners-up South Korea 0–1.[82]
2023 FIFA Women's World Cup edit
Australia co-hosted the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup along with New Zealand, after the bidding decision was announced on 25 June 2020.[83] As hosts, Australia were drawn into Group B, a group which also contained Canada, Nigeria, and debutant Ireland.[84]
Before the tournament, Australia participated in the 2023 Cup of Nations alongside Spain, Jamaica, and the Czech Republic. Australia has already defeated Czech Republic 4–0 in their opening game and Spain 3–2 in their second game, only needing a draw in their game against Jamaica to win the tournament.[85] Australia beat Jamaica 3–0 to lift the Cup of Nations on 22 February 2023.[86]
Australia started the tournament with a 1–0 victory over Ireland by Stephanie Catley, with the only goal scored from a penalty kick.[87] Part of this was due to the news that captain Sam Kerr was going to miss the first two if not all of the group games.[88] They followed this up with a 3–2 loss against Nigeria.[89] In danger of elimination, they defeated reigning Olympic champion Canada 4–0. Not only was this Australia's biggest ever win at a World Cup match, Australia topped their group at a World Cup for the first time.[90]
In the Round of 16, Australia defeated Denmark 2–0 with a goal in each half. It also marked Sam Kerr's first appearance in the tournament. This was just the second time Australia won a knockout match at the Women's World Cup.[91]
Australia went on to defeat France 7–6 on penalty kicks, with the Matildas becoming the first senior Australian team to make a world cup semi-final.[92] The quarter-final match between Australia and France also saw the longest penalty shootout in the history of the FIFA Women's World Cup, with 20 total kicks.[93]
The Matildas were defeated 3–1 by England at the FIFA Women's World Cup semi-finals on 16 August.[94] Their campaign ended with a 2–0 loss to Sweden to finish fourth. This marked the highest-ever finish of any Australian soccer team in senior level.[95]
2024 Olympic Games, Paris edit
Australia had a bye for the first round of the 2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament due to their FIFA ranking.[96] For the second round they played three matches in Perth against Iran, Philippines, and Chinese Taipei, with Australian winning 2–0, 8–0, and 3–0, respectively. They proceeded to the third round to play a pair of home and away games against Uzbekistan,[97] winning both games (aggregate of 13–0) and qualifying for the Olympics.[98] For the Olympic Tournament, Australia were assigned to Group B with Germany, Zambia, and United States, scheduled to play the group matches from 25 to 31 July 2024.[99][100]
Team image edit
Regarded as Australia's most beloved national sporting team in 2019, the Matildas have grown its fanbase over recent years, due to increased exposure, successful tournaments and skilled players coming on to play both internationally and at club level, including captain Sam Kerr, widely regarded as one of the world's best soccer players.[101]
In November 2023, the Australian National Dictionary Centre announced "Matilda" as the 2023 Word of the Year.[102]
Kits edit
As is traditional with national Australian sporting teams, the Matildas wear a combination of green and gold as their "home" colours, the national colours of Australia. The kit has been manufactured by Nike since 2004, in partnership with Football Australia (formerly Football Federation Australia).[103] Nike began producing specific women's national team kits since the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[104]
The most recent home kit worn at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup features a gold top with a marbled pattern and green trimming, and green shorts with white socks, the press release stating that it "celebrates the country's iconic Outback and beaches". The away kit features a bright blue top, shorts and socks, with a darker blue and yellow trims said to "celebrate the country's natural wonders" and drawing "inspiration from the vivid sea".[105]
At the world cup, it was reported that the 2023 kit outsold the 2019 edition 13 to one,[106] and sold more than the Socceroos kits during their entire 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign before the 2023 Women's World Cup even started.[107]
During the Olympics only, the team wears kits manufactured by Asics as the teamwear supplier for the Australian Olympic Committee.[108]
Nicknames edit
The team's official nickname is "the Matildas" (from the Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda"), sometimes shortened to Tillies by fans.[109] They were known as the "Female Socceroos" before 1995.[110][109]
Naming rights edit
Under a naming rights deal with Scentre Group and its predecessor, Westfield Group, the team was branded as "Westfield Matildas" from 2008 to 2021.[111] The team is currently branded as "CommBank Matildas", based on a multi-year financial investment in the team by the Commonwealth Bank.[112]
Media coverage edit
Australian matches are broadcast by Paramount+ and on free-to-air by Network 10.[113] In 2021, during the broadcast of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Matildas broke TV viewing records of any women's team sport in history. The record was initially broken during their second group stage match against Sweden, drawing in 1,468,000 viewers.[114] The record was broken again during their quarter-final clash against Great Britain, drawing in 2.27 million viewers, before recording the all-time record of 2.32 million viewers watching them compete against Sweden in the Olympic semi-final.[115]
In the 2023 Women's World Cup, the Quarterfinal game between Australia and France averaged over 4 million viewers and peaked at 7.2 million viewers on Channel 7, which was the most watched sporting event since Cathy Freeman's 400 meters gold medal in the Sydney 2000 Olympics in Australia.[116] This statistic does not include live viewings, pubs, stadiums and parties where the game was shown.
Attendance edit
The current home attendance record for a Matilda's stand-alone match is 59,155, set on 29 October 2023 during their 2024 AFC Olympic qualifying match against Philippines.[117]
Supporters edit
The main supporter group of the Australian women's national team is Matildas Active Support .[118]
Results and fixtures edit
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
- Legend
Win Draw Loss Fixtures
2023 edit
| 20 July 2023 World Cup GS | Australia | 1–0 | Republic of Ireland | Sydney, Australia |
| 20:00 UTC+10 | Report | Stadium: Stadium Australia Attendance: 75,784 Referee: Edina Alves Batista (Brazil) |
| 27 July 2023 World Cup GS | Australia | 2–3 | Nigeria | Brisbane, Australia |
| 20:00 UTC+10 |
| Report | Stadium: Lang Park Attendance: 49,156 Referee: Esther Staubli (Switzerland) |
| 31 July 2023 World Cup GS | Canada | 0–4 | Australia | Melbourne, Australia |
| 20:00 UTC+10 | Report | Stadium: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium Attendance: 27,706 Referee: Stéphanie Frappart (France) |
| 7 August 2023 World Cup R16 | Australia | 2–0 | Denmark | Sydney, Australia |
| 20:30 UTC+10 | Report | Stadium: Stadium Australia Attendance: 75,784 Referee: Rebecca Welch (England) |
| 16 August 2023 World Cup SF | Australia | 1–3 | England | Sydney, Australia |
| 20:00 UTC+10 |
| Report | Stadium: Stadium Australia Attendance: 75,784 Referee: Tori Penso (United States) |
| 26 October 2024 Olympic qualifiers R2 | Australia | 2–0 | Iran | Perth, Australia |
| 19:00 UTC+8 | Report | Stadium: Perth Rectangular Stadium Attendance: 18,798 Referee: Oh Hyeon-jeong (South Korea) |
| 29 October 2024 Olympic qualifiers R2 | Philippines | 0–8 | Australia | Perth, Australia |
| 15:10 UTC+8 | Report | Stadium: Perth Stadium Attendance: 59,155 Referee: Ranjita Devi Tekcham (India) |
| 1 November 2024 Olympic qualifiers R2 | Australia | 3–0 | Chinese Taipei | Perth, Australia |
| 19:00 UTC+8 | Report | Stadium: Perth Rectangular Stadium Attendance: 19,084 Referee: Oh Hyeon-jeong (South Korea) |
| 5 December Friendly | Canada | 1–0 | Australia | Vancouver, Canada |
| 19:00 PST |
| Report | Stadium: Christine Sinclair Place Attendance: 48,112 Referee: Katja Koroleva (United States) |
2024 edit
| 24 February 2024 Olympic Qualifiers R3 | Uzbekistan | 0–3 | Australia | Tashkent, Uzbekistan |
| 14:00 UTC+5 | Report | Stadium: Milliy Stadium Attendance: 2,347 Referee: Oh Hyeon-jeong (South Korea) |
| 28 February 2024 Olympic Qualifiers R3 | Australia | 10–0 (13–0 agg.) | Uzbekistan | Melbourne, Australia |
| 20:10 UTC+11 | Report | Stadium: Docklands Stadium Attendance: 54,120 Referee: Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan) |
| 9 April Friendly | Mexico | 0–2 | Australia | San Antonio, United States |
| 19:00 UTC-5 | Report | Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 7,163 Referee: Natalie Simon (United States) |
| 25 July 2024 Olympics GS | Germany | v | Australia | Marseille, France |
| 19:00 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Stade de Marseille |
| 28 July 2024 Olympics GS | Australia | v | Zambia | Nice, France |
| 19:00 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Stade de Nice |
| 31 July 2024 Olympics GS | Australia | v | United States | Marseille, France |
| 19:00 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Stade de Marseille |
Coaching staff edit
Current coaching staff edit
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Tony Gustavsson |
| Assistant coach | Jens Fjellström |
| Assistant coach | Melissa Andreatta |
| Goalkeeping coach | Tony Franken |
Manager history edit
- As of 5 December 2023 after the match against Canada.
| # | Name | Period | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jim Selby | 1979–1980 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 33.33% | [119][120][121] |
| 2 | Trixie Tagg | 1981 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | [122][123] |
| 3 | Jim Selby | 1983–1984 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 37.5% | [119][121] |
| 4 | Fred Robins | 1986–1987 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 33.33% | [124] |
| 5 | John Doyle | 1988–1989 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 42.86% | [125][126] |
| 6 | Steve Darby | 1989–1991 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 50.0% | [127] |
| 7 | John Reid | 1994 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.0% | [121] |
| 8 | Tom Sermanni | 1994–1997 | 31 | 13 | 2 | 16 | 41.94% | [128] |
| 9 | Greg Brown | 1997–1999 | 37 | 14 | 8 | 15 | 37.84% | [129] |
| 10 | Chris Tanzey | 1999–2000 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 17.65% | [129][130] |
| 11 | Adrian Santrac | 2001–2004 | 43 | 19 | 9 | 15 | 44.19% | [131] |
| 12 | Tom Sermanni | 2005–2012 | 105 | 60 | 12 | 33 | 57.14% | [128][132] |
| 13 | Hesterine de Reus | 2013–2014 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 46.15% | [133][134] |
| 14 | Alen Stajcic | 2014–2019 | 63 | 35 | 15 | 13 | 55.56% | [135][136][137] |
| 15 | Ante Milicic | 2019–2020 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 68.75% | [138][139] |
| 16 | Tony Gustavsson | 2020–present | 51 | 25 | 6 | 20 | 49.02% | [140] |
Players edit
Current squad edit
The following players were named to the squad for the friendly matches against China on 31 May and 3 June 2024.[141]
Caps and goals are current as of 9 April 2024 after the match against Mexico.
Recent call-ups edit
The following players have been called up to the squad within the last 12 months.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DF | Charlize Rule | 16 February 2003 | 1 | 0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | v. Canada, 5 December 2023 |
| DF | Aivi Luik | 18 March 1985 | 45 | 1 | BK Häcken | v. Mexico, 9 April 2024 INJ |
| MF | Alex Chidiac | 15 January 1999 | 33 | 2 | Melbourne Victory | v. Canada, 5 December 2023 |
| MF | Sarah Hunter | 7 October 2003 | 1 | 0 | Paris FC | v. Canada, 5 December 2023 |
| MF | Daniela Galic | 17 June 2006 | 0 | 0 | Melbourne City | AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying TOP |
| MF | Chloe Logarzo | 22 December 1994 | 55 | 8 | Western United | AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying |
| MF | Katrina Gorry | 13 August 1992 | 107 | 17 | West Ham United | v. Mexico, 9 April 2024 INJ |
| MF | Amy Sayer | 30 November 2001 | 11 | 1 | Kristianstads DFF | v. Mexico, 9 April 2024 INJ |
| FW | Larissa Crummer | 10 January 1996 | 34 | 4 | Brann | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup PRE |
| FW | Kyah Simon | 25 June 1991 | 111 | 29 | Central Coast Mariners | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup |
| FW | Sam Kerr (captain) | 10 September 1993 | 128 | 69 | Chelsea | v. Canada, 1 December 2023 INJ |
| FW | Holly McNamara | 23 January 2003 | 3 | 0 | Melbourne City | v. Canada, 1 December 2023 INJ |
| FW | Remy Siemsen | 10 November 1999 | 7 | 0 | Leicester City | v. Canada, 5 December 2023 |
| FW | Sophie Harding | 10 June 1999 | 0 | 0 | Western Sydney Wanderers | AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying PRE |
| FW | Emily Gielnik | 13 May 1992 | 57 | 11 | Melbourne Victory | v. Mexico, 9 April 2024 INJ |
- Notes
- INJ Withdrew due to injury.
- PRE Preliminary squad / on stand-by.
- TOP Train-on player.
Player records edit
- As of 9 April 2024
- Players in bold are still active, at least at club level.
Most caps edit
| # | Player | Span | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clare Polkinghorne | 2006–present | 166 | 16 |
| 2 | Cheryl Salisbury | 1994–2009 | 151 | 38 |
| 3 | Lisa De Vanna | 2004–2019 | 150 | 47 |
| 4 | Emily van Egmond | 2010–present | 142 | 31 |
| 5 | Heather Garriock | 1999–2011 | 130 | 20 |
| 6 | Sam Kerr | 2009–present | 128 | 69 |
| 7 | Steph Catley | 2012–present | 124 | 5 |
| 8 | Caitlin Foord | 2011–present | 122 | 36 |
| Alanna Kennedy | 2012–present | 9 | ||
| 10 | Tameka Yallop | 2007–present | 121 | 13 |
Most goals edit
| # | Player | Span | Goals | Caps | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Kerr | 2009–present | 69 | 128 | 0.54 |
| 2 | Lisa De Vanna | 2004–2019 | 47 | 150 | 0.31 |
| 3 | Kate Gill | 2004–2015 | 41 | 86 | 0.48 |
| 4 | Cheryl Salisbury | 1994–2009 | 38 | 151 | 0.26 |
| 5 | Caitlin Foord | 2011–present | 36 | 122 | 0.30 |
| 6 | Sarah Walsh | 2004–2012 | 32 | 70 | 0.46 |
| 7 | Emily van Egmond | 2010–present | 31 | 142 | 0.22 |
| 8 | Kyah Simon | 2007–present | 29 | 111 | 0.26 |
| 9 | Joanne Peters | 1996–2009 | 28 | 110 | 0.25 |
| 10 | Michelle Heyman | 2010–present | 25 | 64 | 0.39 |
Most clean sheets edit
| # | Player | Span | Clean sheets | Caps | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melissa Barbieri | 2002–2015 | 34 | 86 | 0.40 |
| 2 | Lydia Williams | 2005–present | 31 | 103 | 0.30 |
| 3 | Mackenzie Arnold | 2012–present | 23 | 47 | 0.49 |
| 4 | Tracey Wheeler | 1989–2000 | 11 | 49 | 0.22 |
| 5 | Claire Nichols | 1994–2003 | 9 | 19 | 0.47 |
| Belinda Kitching | 1996–1999 | 32 | 0.28 | ||
| 7 | Cassandra Kell | 2002–2004 | 7 | 24 | 0.29 |
| 8 | Teagan Micah | 2021–present | 6 | 17 | 0.38 |
| 9 | Brianna Davey | 2012–2015 | 5 | 18 | 0.28 |
Captains edit
| Player | Span | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Patricia O'Connor | 1975 | [4] |
| Julie Dolan | 1979–1984 | [142] |
| Sue Monteath | 1984–1987 | [143][144] |
| Julie Murray | 1995–1999 | [145] |
| Alison Forman | 2000 | [146] |
| Cheryl Salisbury | 2003–2009 | [147][148] |
| Melissa Barbieri | 2010–2013 | [149] |
| Clare Polkinghorne & Kate Gill | 2013–2014 | [150] |
| Clare Polkinghorne & Lisa De Vanna | 2015–2019 | [151][152] |
| Sam Kerr | 2019–present | [153] |
Competitive record edit
Australia has played matches against international opponents on a consistent basis since 1978.[154] To date, they have played 55 different nations and governing bodies, across FIFA World Cups, invitational tournaments, the OFC Women's Nations Cup (until 2004), the AFC Women's Asian Cup (from 2006) and international friendlies.
FIFA Women's World Cup edit
| FIFA Women's World Cup record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1991 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1995 | Group stage | 12th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| 1999 | 11th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | |
| 2003 | 13th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
| 2007 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 7 |
| 2011 | 8th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | |
| 2015 | 7th | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | |
| 2019 | Round of 16 | 9th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 |
| 2023 | Fourth place | 4th | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 8 |
| 2027 | To be determined | |||||||
| Total | 8/9 | 0 titles | 33 | 10 | 7 | 16 | 48 | 58 |
Olympic Games edit
| Summer Olympics record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1996 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2000 | Group stage | 7th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 2004 | Quarter-finals | 5th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 2008 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2012 | ||||||||
| 2016 | Quarter-finals | 7th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 5 |
| 2020 | Fourth place | 4th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 13 |
| 2024 | Qualified | |||||||
| 2028 | To be determined | |||||||
| 2032 | Qualified as host | |||||||
| Total | 4/7 | 0 titles | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 28 |
OFC Women's Nations Cup edit
| OFC Women's Nations Cup record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1983 | Runners-up | 2nd | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 3 |
| 1986 | Runners-up | 2nd | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 1989 | Third place | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| 1991 | Runners-up | 2nd | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 1 |
| 1994 | Champions | 1st | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 2 |
| 1998 | Champions | 1st | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 1 |
| 2003 | Champions | 1st | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
| Total | 7/7 | 3 titles | 28 | 19 | 2 | 7 | 159 | 19 |
AFC Women's Asian Cup edit
| AFC Women's Asian Cup record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| 1975[a] | Third place | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 6 | |
| 1977 | Not AFC member | ||||||||
| 1980[b] | Third place | 3rd | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | |
| 1981–2003 | Not AFC member | ||||||||
| 2006 | Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 2 | |
| 2008 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 9 | |
| 2010 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2014 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 | |
| 2018 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 4 | |
| 2022 | Quarter-finals | 5th | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 2 | |
| 2026 | To be determined | ||||||||
| 2029 | |||||||||
| Total | 7/20 | 1 title | 34 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 85 | 31 | |
AFF Women's Championship edit
| AFF Women's Championship record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 2004 | Did not participate | |||||||
| 2006 | ||||||||
| 2007 | ||||||||
| 2008 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| 2011 | Did not participate | |||||||
| 2012 | ||||||||
| 2013 | See Australia women's national under-20 soccer team | |||||||
| 2015 | ||||||||
| 2016 | ||||||||
| 2018 | ||||||||
| 2019 | Did not participate | |||||||
| 2022 | See Australia women's national under-23 soccer team | |||||||
| Total | 1/6 | 1 title | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
Honours edit
Major tournaments edit
- Champions: 2008
Minor tournaments edit
- Champions: Australia Cup – 1999, 2001, 2002[156]
- Champions: 2013 Centenary Cup[157]
- Champions: 2017 Tournament of Nations
- Champions: 2019 Cup of Nations
- Champions: 2023 Cup of Nations
- Champions: Torneio Cidade de Uberlândia (Brazil) – 1995[158]
See also edit
- Australia men's national soccer team
- Sport in Australia
- Soccer in Australia
- Women's soccer in Australia
- A-League Women – Current Australian women's national league
- Women's National Soccer League (WNSL) – defunct Australian women's national league
- Australia women's national soccer team results (1975–99)
- Australia women's national soccer team results (2000–09)
- Australia women's national soccer team results (2010–19)
- Matildas: The World at Our Feet
Notes edit
- ^ An Australian representative side (largely from the St. George club and the New South Wales state team) participated and had been labelled as "Australia" by the organisers.[155] These games have not been recognised as official Australian A-internationals, but the players achievements were recognised as such in 2023.[4]
- ^ The 1980 AFC Women's Championship had a team representing Western Australia, but not the Australian national team.
References edit
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "Women's World Cup: The origin story of how the Matildas nickname was picked for the Australian team". ABC News. abc.net.au. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ Williams 2007, p. 165
- ^ a b c "Football Australia recognises achievements of former Australian Women's Representative Players". matildas.com.au. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ (PDF) (Print ed.). Asian Football Confederation, International Centre for Sport Studies (CIES). FIFA Museum. January 2022. p. 27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 January 2022.
- ^ Cruickshank, Mark (31 December 2009). "Women's World Invitation Tournament 1978". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ Dolan, Julie. . JDolan.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ "Teams of the Decades – Women's 1979–1989". Football Federation Australia. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ Williams 2007, p. 157
- ^ Garin, Eric (21 September 2000). "Women's Oceania Cup 1983 (Nouméa)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ Garin, Eric (31 March 2011). "Oceania Cup (Women)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
- ^ a b c "It's been a long road to recognition as Matildas face their shot at glory". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- ^ a b Lewis, Samantha (31 July 2023). "Women's World Cup: From hand-me-downs to period proofing, the Matildas' kits reflect the evolution of women's football". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ "Women's World Cup 2015: Remove the gender lens and back the Matildas". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
- ^ "No rest until settled". The Canberra Times. 20 January 1989. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "Australians separated". The Canberra Times. 17 February 1989. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ Cooke, Graham (1 April 1989). "Cup hopes buried by Taipei". Brisbane: The Canberra Times. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ Cooke, Graham (2 April 1989). "Decisive Taipei goal ensures celebration". Brisbane: The Canberra Times. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ Cooke, Graham (15 May 1991). "Back injury puts defender in doubt". The Canberra Times. p. 39. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
- ^ Cooke, Graham (26 May 1991). "Aust women fail to make world finals". The Canberra Times. Sydney. p. 13. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
- ^ a b c Wilson, Caroline (11 September 2000). . The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from