The Zeitgeist = The Matildas
Words & photos by Monique Bertolini
The Matildas came in with a force to this Women’s FIFA World Cup and I don’t think we had any way to predict how valiantly the nation got behind our girls. “Our girls” isn’t overstated. It’s the truth. They cemented themselves in this country and, without sounding too emphatic, have completely re-orchestrated the way Australians view women’s sport.
I was on a flight to Rome on the day of the quarterfinals against France. I was slightly distressed to be missing the game and for any potential exposure to spoilers before I had a chance to even watch the highlights when I landed. Thankfully, Emirates now streams live sports. It is no exaggeration when I say that every Australian on that flight was watching that game. The plane was buzzing with suspense as we watched the longest shoot-out in history – all with the accompanying agonized groans and celebratory screams despite the distance from other passengers. From this game onwards, there was a shift in our culture. I wasn’t even in the country and I could feel it. I recently attended the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Perth to watch the Tillies. The number of supporters was historic, they shifted the second qualifier against The Philippines to a 60000-seat stadium, which sold out. There were plenty of special moments:
- The game being held in Perth in general.
- Sam Kerr playing at home in our largest stadium.
- Getting a picture with Steph Catley.
But mainly because sitting in that crowd next to people of all genders and ages, you could see the stiff and stale opinions of women’s sports truly transform into a valued part of our society which rightfully brings joy, entertainment, and passion. Enough to rival that of an 80-year-old Juve fan.
Friends who had never watched a game of football before the Women’s World Cup quarter-final, all of a sudden are avid Chelsea, Arsenal, or Man City fans. A man in his late 50s who sat next to me at one of the qualifiers was screaming out Cortnee Vine’s name and turned to his friend of the same age to discuss her technique with awe and admiration. When I play 5-a-side, I will hear girls refer to each other as “Mary Fowler” or “Raso”. My favorite celebrity podcast, whose episodes are normally filled with sugary gossip about the lives of Ariana Grande and Harry Styles, has even recommended getting behind the Matildas on multiple occasions.
Kat Hadad, a football content creator compared the Matildas to the Spice Girls on an episode of ‘Born Offside’. I can’t help but agree, do the Tillies do for us what the Spice Girls once did? Much like the Spice Girls, you have your favorite Matilda, and after watching them play you wish you could too, and now the Matildas also have a fan base to match. There is a player for each person to relate to and eventually, rally for.
The viewership for the finals of the World Cup was the highest Australia has ever seen for any news or sporting event. These local heroines can now barely walk through the streets of their hometowns without swarms of Future Matildas and Wish-To-Have-Been Matildas coming up and asking for a photo or autograph. I mean, even Katrina Gorry’s daughter, Harper, was asked for an autograph by a fan at the Olympic qualifiers!
There is something so profound about watching this level of fandom unfurl around women’s sport. A feeling of possibility. Potential. It goes to show that if you provide the opportunities, the fans will come.
I reflect on my own relationship with football. I enjoyed watching the sport and playing it, but I never fully understood how my boyfriend’s team losing could send him into the pits of despair for 2-7 business days. I finally get it now… Is this what representation does?
Beyond what’s unfolding right now, I can see this evolving into the foundation of our culture. Future quiz nights will have questions about the longest penalty shootout in history or which Women’s Super League club had the highest proportion of Australian players. Perhaps a generation of kids named Ellie or Caitlin!
The most beautiful outcome of the World Cup is the conscious effort for the sustainability of women’s football. We are all now fully aware of how we can stream games from most leagues around the world. Unsurprisingly, people are watching them. We’ve all seen the pictures of people rocking the red arsenal kit with Cooney-Cross on the back. It goes without saying that the World Cup also enlisted fans across the world, the evidence shows with the Women’s Arsenal team selling out Emirates Stadium for the first time ever in May.
And if this previous campaign wasn’t enough, one of the world’s greatest football talents is our beloved, Sam Kerr. Surely, placing 2nd for the Ballon d’Or and in the top 10 each year since the women’s prize started, is enough to inspire generations of young girls to gravitate to football over netball. This could all be hopeful, but it’s undeniable that there is momentum in women’s football in Australia right now thanks to the Matildas.
Besides being an avid Juve fan, Monique is also an important part of the creative writing team at Subversive. You can follow her footballing travels and more on Instagram.
