Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has predicted Olympic success for the Matildas after the Australian female soccer team qualified for Rio.
“Qualifying is not what they’re about. They can win a medal here. I think a gold medal,” he said.
Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull has also thrown his support behind them.
“What a fantastic achievement to come out on top and qualify for the Olympic Games – for the first time since 2004,” he said.
Football Federation Australia is doing what it can maintain the momentum of the team, with a new deal signed with the New South Wales government that allows the Matildas to play at least six matches in the state over the next five years.
Football Federation Australia Head of Events Jacqui Hoban said the Matildas’ win has helped promote football to females.
“The success and the interest surrounding the Matildas certainly helps in promoting our key initiatives. However, FFA is always committed to being a leading organisation for females in sport,” she said.
“In our recently released four year strategy we have made a deliberate strategic decision to include women’s football in everything that we do, rather than treat it is as a separate pillar.
“Female Football Week, which was launched last Monday, is a good recent example of the initiatives that FFA continue to implement. The Matildas and the Westfield W-League are two other areas with strong support and both the FFA Board and the FFA Senior management team have strong female representation.”
Hoban said the FFA planned to do all can to support the team.
“On Monday, we held a welcome home function which was attended by the Prime Minister, and we are now in the process of talking with different stakeholders to initiate the best next steps for the team preparation as far as matches and training camps,” she said.
“In the past we have held Matildas fan days, so we hope to be able to implement that again prior to Rio.”