'WE'VE MADE HISTORY'

THE MATILDAS HAVE CAPTURED THE HEARTS OF AUSSIES EVERYWHERE AND CHANGED WOMEN'S SPORT FOREVER

- Sara Tapia

FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP 2023

Matildas winger Hayley Raso said it best when she was asked to comment after Australia’s unbelievable FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter-final victory against the French on August 12. “We’ve made history,” the 28-year-old exclaimed to reporters following the awe-inspiring match.

Truer words have never been spoken. With sold-out stadiums, record-breaking TV ratings and merchandise sales, and the players fast becoming household names, our beloved Tillies have been riding a national tidal wave of support all the way to their historic World Cup semi-final.

As WHO went to print, the country was bracing itself for another nail-biting match against England, with at-home audience numbers expected to exceed the 7.2 million people that tuned in to watch the Aussie team’s clash against European heavyweights France. That’s not to mention the thousands more that will be glued to big screens at parks, pubs and clubs across the nation to cheer on our girls.

GOING FOR GOLD

The Matildas’ nailbiting match against France drew audience numbers not seen since Cathy Freeman’s iconic 400-metre final at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Perhaps prophetically, the sporting legend paid a visit to the Australian camp to pump up the girls just days before they kicked off their World Cup efforts last month.