There’s a World Cup featuring one of our most popular national teams in action over the next few weeks, and another one hosting the Australian cricket team.
It’s about to get very real for the Matildas.
I had a quick look online overnight for tickets to Sunday morning’s friendly against the Netherlands in Eindhoven and fewer than a thousand remained.
So they’ll run out to a full house against the Dutch in the sort of pre-World Cup friendly that was once the exclusive domain of the Socceroos.
And they’ll no doubt have their tournament opener against Italy at the Stade du Hainaut in Valenciennes in the back of their collective minds when they do.
I don’t know whether Australia’s women’s national team can win the World Cup.
I can’t claim to be any kind of expert when it comes to women’s football.
But I think that’s okay.
I’m sure it makes me no different to the vast number of Socceroos fans who tune in to watch the national team go around without necessarily knowing every intimate detail about the team.
Sam Kerr celebrates in the new Matildas kit. (Image: Supplied, Nike)
Truth be told, I’m looking forward to simply watching the Matildas as a fan – even though I know I’ll invariably be riding every tackle the second their World Cup campaign kicks off.
The thought that an Australian football team is capable of mixing it with the world’s best makes me happy. I couldn’t care less about their gender.
But it probably does help that women’s football isn’t littered with many of the histrionics that blight the men’s game.
The diving, the time wasting, the egos and incessant machismo are all reserved for men’s football.
And much as every Aussie sports fan no doubt hopes the Matildas go deep into the tournament in France, the fact that they’ll also play with a bit of integrity is equally important.
That’s a lesson the Australian men’s cricket team learned in the most humiliating way imaginable.
And Steve Smith, David Warner and the gone and now presumably forgotten Cameron Bancroft didn’t just embarrass themselves when they were caught tampering with the ball on Australia’s ill-fated tour of South Africa in 2018.
They embarrassed us.
Smith and Warner’s demeanour after the Aussie team was caught red-handed rubbing sandpaper on the ball in the third Test in Cape Town said everything about a team culture that valued winning at all costs.
There was a breathtaking naivety to their actions on the field and subsequent understanding of the situation off it.
Former Test skipper Smith, star batsman Warner and the discarded Bancroft were raked over the coals for their role in the ball-tampering fiasco, but it took a while for the spotlight to spin around and shine on Cricket Australia.
It seemed many of the executives who drew a salary from the game didn’t feel particularly responsible for setting the standards of the players who played it.
Maybe they just hoped the whole thing would go away and that everyone would forget about it in time.
A bit like Alen Stajcic, right Football Federation Australia?
Alen Stajcic (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
In the absence of any publicly listed evidence as to why Stajcic is no longer coaching the Matildas, it’s hard not to believe that at least one Aussie will be tuning in to the Women’s World Cup with mixed emotions.
But that episode – no doubt to the FFA’s relief – is all in the past now.
Italy, perennial heavyweights Brazil and Jamaica await and while we’d all like to believe the Matildas are a chance of winning the tournament, the reality is they’ve got a tough group to get out of first.
Whatever happens in Eindhoven on Sunday and in France over the next two-and-a-half weeks, the Matildas will no doubt do us proud.
They’re a team the whole nation can get behind.
And maybe, just maybe, even inspire every one of us to dream of actually winning a football World Cup.
Pedro
Guest
Really the Diamonds are the best known team for all Australians
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
who do they play for?
Torchbearer
Guest
Well the Matildas got behind themselves this morning- 3 times... The 3-0 loss to the The Netherlands should be a sobering wake up call to where we stand with the big guns. Not looking that great.
chris
Guest
Please stop. Its painful seeing you on here
Pedro
Guest
Nothing compares the the Diamonds
Pedro
Guest
seriously?? Most of us follow the Diamonds
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Which part of my argument is deficient?... because you, Fuss and punter certainly have made f00ls of yourselves during it.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Either way, you lose. If all of this was a pi$$take then you are a strange, strange boy. If not, then you are equally strange for persisting so long with a clearly deficient argument.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
It’s all about talent and resource distribution. If AFL didn’t exist, far more resources would be devoted to football. Judd, of course, would still have existed. He would have probably played football. It’s that simple, Punter. It’s not that difficult to comprehend.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
My comment down below was taking the p13s. I’m sorry you didn’t get it then and still clearly don’t.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Still taking the pi$$ Rick? Astounding.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Rick, you are not right. I don't hate AFL, if I did I would be on the AFL tab sprouting rubbish like you do about football here & arguing with all the AFL fans. I don't because I care little of AFL, certainly don't hate it, it's a game for crying out loud. Nothing to hate. It's just that it's a tiny little game played in 3 states in sparsely populated country, this is not hating the game, it's just quoting facts. After 150 years history it has not made much impact outside this country, no hate, just facts. I had goggle Judd after your high praise of him, was shocked that he was same age as Ronaldo & retired 4 years ago & despite playing a sport that is huge in 3 states but tiny outside of it & next to nothing out of this country, he only won 1 premiership & 2 player of the years awards from such a small pool. It's like you saying while Ronaldo wins the 50, 100, 200 & 400 freestyle at the last 3 Olympics, while Judd is the occasional WA champion in the 50 Breast in 3 Olympic cycles & saying Judd would've been better if he had been given the opportunity to be a freestyler. You are indeed a little mis-informed.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
The reality is Punter, despite all his greatness, he's had to seek success by sacrificing the better years of his life living in a country ranked 26th in the world. He now lives in an even worse ranked country. AFL players don't. They seek their riches, which are far greater than the average wages available to both foreign and domestic football players, whilst living in one of the best countries in the world. Your argument involves one player and still fails on many counts from a lifestyle perspective. Mine involves thousands of players with the overwhelming data suggesting I'm right and you're wrong. As for the risks of playing football for someone like Judd: it wouldn't be if we had the resources to develope players like him. We don't. Why? Because the West Coast Eagles have all the money out west. They could buy the entire A-League 10x over. They are backed by one of the richest states in one of the richest countries in the world. Imagine if they didn't exist...just the Perth Glory. Judd may have played football as a kid, moved to the Glory before moving overseas. It's that simple, Punter. You know I'm right, and its why you hate the AFL so much.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Judd knows who Ronaldo is, so does Rick, whereas Ronaldo knows not who Judd is, while you & I have to goggle Judd to see his stats.
chris
Guest
Judd won Australian player of the year? But north of Victoria he's totally unknown.
chris
Guest
And yet here you are, never adding anything worthwhile to matters related to football.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Sorry I had to goggle Judd, that little I know about him. Lets compare him to Ronaldo. Both 35 years old. Ronaldo still playing & won the premiership in Italy & made the 1/4s in the European champions league. He was player of the year this year in Italy. He signed for the Italian league for $200 million dollars, came 2nd in the latest player of the year, not bad for a burned out has been. Judd retired 4 years ago.. Ronaldo won the premiership in Italy, Spain & England 6 times, won the Champions of Europe 5 times with a club, won the Euros with his country. Played more then 150 times for his national team & scored 85 goals. He was named world player of the year 5 times. Judd won premiership once, won Australian player of the year twice.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Yes Chris, young Rick prides himself to winning.
chris
Guest
It's quite sad watching the AFL fanboys getting hammered on here. Their gods are not really worth that much and their game is not known outside of the southern states. When you get a player like Mile Jedinak still worth more than double than the best AFL player, well...what can one say.
Sam
Guest
I could have sworn I was on the football tab reading about the Matilda’s. AFL and AFLW seems to be the main discussion point. Very strange and very embarrassing!