Matildas' Sydney FC Connection
As we watch and cheer on the Matildas at the Paris Olympics, let’s take a look at the current crop of players who have pulled on the Sky Blue in their past.
Cortnee Vine
Where else should we start than Australian football’s golden girl. Cortnee Vine joined Sydney FC in the 2020/21 season aged 22 and went on to play 65 appearances. After becoming a consistent starter in her debut season at Sydney, she floated onto the radar of the Matildas and made her national team debut at the Asian Cup against the Philippines.
Vine netted the winning penalty at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 against France in the Quarter Final and following that, she had another impressive season at Sydney FC which earned her a move to the NSWL with North Carolina Courage.
Caitlin Foord
Caitlin Foord now applies her trade at Arsenal in the WSL in England but before she was strutting her stuff in North London, she pulled on the Sky Blue of Sydney FC, making her debut as a 15 year old in the 2010/11 W-League season. Since then, she went onto make 89 appearances for her local team.
She broke into the Matildas side when she was 16 and made her debut against New Zealand in 2011. Foord has scored 36 goals for her country and this is her third Olympic Games having represented Australia in Rio and Tokyo.
Michelle Heyman
Michelle Heyman was part of the very first Sydney FC side that took to the pitch against Perth Glory back in 2008 in the W-League’s inaugural season. She did only make three appearances for the Sky Blues but since then has become a household name in the Liberty A-League Women’s.
Last season, she broke the record for most goals in the competition and was rewarded with a call up to her National Team again. Heyman has 26 goals from her 66 caps and will be at her first major tournament with her country since the 2018 AFC Asian Cup.
Alanna Kennedy
Kennedy broke onto the W-League scene when she was a 15 year old with Sydney FC back in 2010 and since then went onto represent the Sky Blues 61 times over multiple spells. Now she plays her football with Manchester City in the WSL and represents her country consistently.
Kennedy was known for her free-kicks while at Sydney FC and played her final appearance in Sky Blue against Melbourne City in the 2020 Grand Final, scoring 9 goals from central defence.
Clare Wheeler
Wheeler broke into the W-League scene with Newcastle Jets and joined the Sky Blues during the 2020/21 season. During that campaign she was part of the squad that lifted the Premiership and after her form, Wheeler was rewarded with a call up to the Matildas, making her debut in 2021.
She scored four goals during that season with Sydney and has netted twice for her country, most recently against China at Accor Stadium.
Sam Kerr
The Chelsea superstar once pulled on the Sky Blue of Sydney FC before she was backflipping her way to third place in the Ballon D’Or Best Player in the World Awards. Back in 2012 she joined Sydney FC and across her two seasons in the Harbour City scored 13 goals.
She made her debut for the Matildas back in 2009 and has gone on to make over 100 caps for her country, scoring 69 goals in the process. She has taken the world by storm and won the 2012/13 W-League Championship with the Sky Blues, netting in the decider and marking it with her trademark backflip.
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