Young girls across NSW prepare to cheer on the Matildas at the FIFA Women’s World Cup
With less than 110 sleeps until the FIFA Women’s World Cup kicks off, thousands of young girls across the country are counting down in anticipation to watch the Matildas grace the World Cup stage on home soil.
10-year-old Sydney local, Evie Lloyd and her teammates at North West Sydney Spirit Football Club can barely contain their excitement as they gear up to watch Australia battle it out with the Republic of Ireland in the first round of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. “I’m so excited, we’ve already got our tickets. I’ve always been super passionate about football but my joy has skyrocketed knowing that the games will be held in Australia,” says Evie.
Unwavering love for football
“Evie has loved football since the day she first tied up her football boots,” said Evie’s mum, Alison Lloyd – who enrolled Evie at Epping Football Club where she played in both the all-girls and mixed teams, Evie now trains in a mixed squad with Spirit FC.
Evie’s love for football remains unwavering despite the obstacles she has faced. Evie was born with a vision impairment and wore an eye patch until she was 6 years old, which hindered her ability to play football. In spite of that, she continues to persevere in the game and is passionate about helping others who also have varying impairments who would otherwise not be able to play football without assistance.
This includes the charitable acts that she partakes in, including when Evie won a Big Life Journal competition where she put forward the Fred Hollows Foundation as a charity to be donated to. Evie also runs an Etsy store, selling stickers (printed on recycled PVC as Evie’s activism extends to environmentalism too) with slogans such as “Girls Kicking Goals” – aimed to empower girls and women to follow their dreams. All profits from sticker sales are donated to the Fred Hollows Foundation.
Evie’s inspiring story and determination led her to be featured in CommBank’s Summer of Sports campaign which also starred Matildas captain, Sam Kerr. “The producers were on the hunt for a leader of change. I believe Evie’s desire to give back to the football community and to a charity that is close to her heart is part of why she was chosen for this opportunity. Football has always been about a game of unity, and that’s inspired Evie to extend the idea out of the game,” says Alison.
The camaraderie of football
The game of football is one built on the strong friendship and unity that exists between the players – it’s one of the reasons why Evie loves football so much. “My favourite memory from playing football is when I played at Epping FC and I scored an amazing goal. All of my teammates lifted up and started cheering,” said Evie.
“I love it because you have to work together and play as a team. No matter what happens on the field, you face it together, and essentially I’ve learnt that it doesn’t matter if you win or lose because you are one step closer to succeeding,” continued Evie.
Evie hopes that this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup will inspire more young girls to join the game.
“I want all my friends to start playing with me. I want to tell them about my experiences playing football and how happy it makes me. It’s an opportunity to make friends outside of school. You can learn a lot and it’s so much fun,” she says.
FIFA Women’s World Cup
The upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup will see some of the world’s best female football players competing at the highest level across Australian and New Zealand stadiums – marking the first time the female tournament has been held in the Southern Hemisphere.
Young girls and women like Evie look up to the athletes competing in the FIFA Women’s World Cup as role models and in doing so encourage them to follow their passion for the sport and chase their dreams of one day playing professionally on the main stage.
“My favourite female player is Ellie Carpenter. She is my inspiration because I’ve always wanted to be the player that runs up the line, sets up the play and passes to the striker who can make the score – one day I want to be able to play just like her,” says Evie.
Evie credits Carpenter, who tore her ACL last year and is now back playing with her team, as her idol due to her tenacity and resilience. She continues, “I really hope I’ll be able to see her play in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. I have one of Ellie’s jackets that her mum Belinda sent to me. It’s very special and I hope that one day I can have a Matildas jacket with my name on the back too.”
About the NSW Football Legacy Program
The NSW Government recently announced a $3.1 million investment into more than 100 grassroots football projects across the state to help improve facilities and run programs to boost player participation as part of the NSW Football Legacy Fund.
The investment is intended to broaden female player options and increase participation opportunities, whilst enhancing football facilities and supporting infrastructure. This fund also aims to assist clubs in developing football programs at all levels through the construction or upgrading of community facilities, leadership, and development initiatives.
As Australia prepares to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, strengthening the football community in NSW is key to matching the unprecedented level of interest in female football. The NSW Football Legacy Fund seeks to ensure it has the facilities and programming to match the buzz that the FIFA World Cup is generating for Australia’s next generation of future Matilda’s
More information about the NSW Football Legacy Fund is available here.
This web story is supported by the NSW Government under the NSW Football Legacy Program.
