Even though soccer isn’t the main sport in Australia, the king of sports manages to attract lots of fans no matter if we’re talking about men’s or women’s teams. In recent years, the Matildas caught the spotlight and are proudly representing Australian women’s sports across the globe. This article is analyzing the Matildas’ journey from foundation until the present day and their influence on the next generation of Australian women in sport. So, join us as we take a closer look at what the Australian women’s national soccer team means for the country and how it empowers Aussie women considering a sporting career.
If you want to know how everything started with Australia’s women’s football at a national level, you have to go all the way back to 1974. The Australian Women’s Soccer Association was established that year and the national team took part at the Asian Women’s Championship in 1975.
In a relatively short time, names like Connie Byrnes (the team captain), Julie Dolan, Sue Monteath, or Anna Sejuschenko solidified their spots in the team and became true idols for the Aussie youth. The first official international match took place in New South Wales against New Zealand and since the scene was still developing, the following seven matches were played against New Zealand as well.
By the time they played in the first Oceania Cup in 1983, the Matlida team's influence on young girls was becoming a thing. The team continued to grow throughout the 1990s and the phenomenon continued to develop across the globe. So, the stage was set for the Matlidas’ first Olympic appearance when Sydney hosted the event. Unfortunately, the best result here was a draw against Sweden leading to the team not qualifying in the knockout stages.
However, the 2004 Olympics brought the Australian women’s team their first win in the Olympics, in Athens. To make things even better, this first success was secured against the hosting team of Greece, and the Matildas reached the quarterfinals before losing to Sweden.
Fast forward to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup where the Matildas had an exceptional win against Brazil. They came back from a 2-0 deficit and the following 4-1 win against Jamaica saw them reach the round of sixteen. Unfortunately, they got knocked out by Norway after a penalty shoot-out.
After the 2019 World Cup, Australia’s national team qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics. They were placed in Group G, nicknamed “the Group of Death” as they competed against the US, Sweden, and New Zealand.
After fantastic performances, the Matildas finished the Olympics in fourth place. This was the most successful performance at the Olympics and, naturally, it lead to lots of hope for future tournaments. Unfortunately, the following clashes didn’t follow the same recipe for success and there’s a lot of concern surrounding their participation in the 2023 FIFA World Cup.
As Brad King at Australia-Casino put it, “the Matildas bronze medal at the 2020 Olympics inspired an entire nation. Unfortunately, the following friendly games against Germany and the Netherlands came as a shocking wake-up call. Australia lost 5-2 against Germany and the Netherlands won 5-0 to rub salt on the wounds. Even though these matches were friendlies, everyone was concerned about how it will affect their Olympics performance. Luckily, our girls put on a great performance to finish fourth, very close to getting the bronze medal.”
After the Olympics, the Matildas played back-to-back friendlies with Brazil in October, scoring a 3-1 win and a 2-2 draw in Sydney. Another two friendlies were played against the team that denied them the bronze medal, with the USA. The first one saw Australia lose 3-0 but the 1-1 draw gives them a lot of hope for the future.
Even though there’s a lot of work to be done to get back in shape for the 2023 World Cup, the previous results obtained by the Matilda team already dramatically influenced young girls in the country. Those that had the amazing opportunity of growing up with sports like women’s football are already considering a sporting career themselves. And that’s huge since this is still uncharted territory in many countries.
Seeing fantastic Matildas soccer players like Sam Kerr, Kyah Simon, or Caitlin Foord playing world-class football motivates the youth to pursue a career in sport. And we’re not talking solely about soccer, even though it’s the most popular right now. The women’s netball scene is also very popular with 37% of girls aged 6 to 13 playing the sport. The Diamonds, Australia’s women’s netball team, stood on top of world rankings for many years.
Even though there might not be a direct connection to women’s soccer, the percentage of young Australian girls interested in tennis is also on the rise. With a grand-slam event like the Australian Open taking place at home since 1905, it’s impossible for the youngsters not to dream about representing their country.
One thing is certain, no matter the results at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics or the 2023 World Cup, the Matildas inspired future generations and that can only bring positive contributions to Aussie sport overall. Time will tell if the youngsters watching their idols right now will eventually represent Australia at future tournaments.
