The Problem With The Matildas… Backlash
In the recent She Believes Cup, the Matildas lost all 3 games, conceding 8, and scoring only 2. That however, has not been the main topic of discussion surrounding the Australian Women’s soccer team this week. This is due to some ridiculous comments made on Triple M. While the comments won’t be repeated here, it brings to light an issue that many thought had passed with the massive success of the Women’s World Cup in Australia, and the Matildas performance within it. As a group of men, still think it is funny to dismiss Women’s sport as a whole.
The comments were misogynistic, and indefensible. Now is the time to rally behind the girls, how does nobody in that room realise how damaging these comments can be for soccer in Australia. The Socceroos made a historic performance in the 2022 Mens World Cup, making it out of the tournaments  “group of death”, only to narrowly lose out to the winners of the tournament Argentina in the Round of 16. This however, got no where near as many headlines, or as much attention as the Matildas 2023 Women’s World Cup run in Australia.
It was a run that united the nation, with friends who had dismissed soccer their entire lives tuning in, talking about it, staying up to date. It was impossible to get your hands on any kind of merchandise supporting the Matildas within a week of the tournaments opener. Goalkeeper shirts were selling out. That is unheard of across the globe, let alone in little old Australia, a country that would rather tune into; AFL, Cricket, Rugby, and probably whatever other sport you can name. What the Matildas did, has never been done before.
It is a pivotal moment for soccer in Australia. so it’s time to jump on the bandwagon or keep quiet. The success of the Matildas can lead to but is not limited to; more access to soccer for young girls, more access to soccer for young boys, more opportunity for professional development in women’s soccer, more eyes on the sport as a whole (mens and women’s), more funding for women’s soccer etc. So many more examples could be listed, but you get the idea.
If you want to hate on the Matildas, do it for a sporting reason, constructively, don’t dismiss their entire careers due to their gender.