‘Month-long party’: Matildas fans up game for World Cup with help from Terri Irwin

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Four years ago, Ciara O’Sullivan and six close friends travelled to France to cheer on the Matildas in the 2019 Women’s World Cup. Now, they’re back on tour and ready to up their game – this time on home soil.

“We went over and named ourselves The Croissants, which was hilarious because in hindsight now, it was not the best … we should be called the Vegemite toasts,” O’Sullivan laughed.

Matilda super fans (from left): Lucy Friend, Maddie Bart, Ciara O’Sullivan and Lucy Gilfedder. They’re all members of ‘The Croissants’.Credit: James Brickwood

The group, all Australian women in their 20s, include Amanda Skellern, Kimberley Skellern, Lucy Friend, Maddie Bart, Lucy Gilfedder, O’Sullivan and AFLW Richmond player Libby Graham.

After the Matildas got knocked out, the group decided to find other teams to support.

“We became huge Dutch supporters, and then we dressed as the Statue of Liberty for America, as pasta for Italy, decked ourselves in head-to-toe in orange for the Netherlands. So we went to all those games and [it was] incredible,” said O’Sullivan.

When Australia takes on Ireland in their tournament opener tonight, the group will start festivities in a cafe in Surry Hills and, dressed as Australian zookeeper Steve Irwin, will board buses bound for the game.

Terri Irwin, the late conservationist’s wife, has donated 100 khaki shirts to the cause.

“It’s like getting to do all our favourite things together,” said O’Sullivan. “We have all have a background in sport and I guess growing up, we didn’t have the opportunities that are there today, and certainly not when a lot of Matildas were growing up. And so for us, it’s sort of being able to be ambassadors for women’s soccer.

“[As] fans, to have this amazing game and to watch women’s sport really climax, and it’s somewhat hitting the pinnacle at the moment, is really exciting.”

The “Croissants” will then head to New Zealand for a few games before following the Matildas to Brisbane, Melbourne and hopefully deeper into the tournament, depending on how Australia fare.

Matildas fans in Melbourne ahead of the FIFA World Cup beginning on Thursday: Georgia Rajic and Cheryl Downes (front). Kieran Yap, Tania Moreno and Dirga Ong. Credit: Wayne Taylor

Georgia Rajic, 27, from Port Melbourne, is house-sitting for a friend in Sydney while the tournament is on but is flying back for all the Melbourne games.

“I am so excited to experience absolutely everything there is to offer for this World Cup,” Rajic said. “I went to the one in France, and it really feels like everyone knows this is happening and wants to support the girls.

“I’m so excited and hope to see the Australian sporting public embrace this team.

“Everyone seems so positive. No matter the outcome, I hope this will change Australia’s relationship with football. This is the time we can go far with the best team we’ve sent to a World Cup so far.”

The Matildas Active Support group was formed four years ago leading up to the World Cup in France, allowing travellers to connect, meet up and exchange tips. It blossomed into the Matildas Active Support, which will be in full force during the 2023 edition, filling the stadiums with noise and colour.

Majella Card, an admin for the group, said people involved are not necessarily going as one big group to games but will find each other throughout the tournament, including at pre- and post-game meet-ups.

“Everyone has their own sort of second or third teams that they really want to follow, so there’s different itineraries going all over the place,” said Card.

Card said online communities have been pivotal in bringing women sports fans together.

The whole country is behind Sam Kerr and the Matildas as the Women’s World Cup kicks off.Credit: Getty Images

“Especially through Twitter and Facebook, in particular, have been amazing platforms for spreading the word of women’s football and building the profiles of players and teams and leagues,” said Card.

Cheryl Downes, an admin for Matildas and A-League Women Supporters Group and co-founder and editor of the women’s soccer platform Beyond 90, said she’s excited to see friends made online across the tournament.

She said the Facebook group through Beyond 90 has close to 10,000 people and is “a nice group of people that it really is just about sharing information about football and sharing their passions about football”.

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