Exclusive: Matildas great Gill Foster  explains why women play a better brand of football than men – as she reveals how she got through the 2003 World Cup on a broken leg

When former Matildas star Gill Foster sat down to watch Australia tackle the Republic of Ireland in their World Cup opener on July 20 in front of 75,000 plus fans in Sydney, she smiled to herself.

The fortunes and profile of the women’s national team have changed significantly in recent years and Foster would know – she donned the green and gold 20 years ago when the global tournament was staged in the US.

‘It is hard to believe it was that long ago,’ the paramedic told Daily Mail Australia.

‘I was lucky enough to also see the Matildas play against France [in Melbourne on July 14] where 50,000 supporters turned up.

‘That gave me an indication of what I might see for the Ireland game. It was unbelievable, the atmosphere I’ll never forget.

Former Matilda Gill Foster in action for Australia at the 2003 Women’s World Cup in the US

The paramedic is tough – a MRI scan later confirmed she played all three group games for the Matildas with a stress fracture in her left leg (pictured, in action against Russia in 2003) 

‘It also goes to show what happens when professional women’s teams are given recognition…their results speak for themselves and it was great to see so many bums on seats and loads of merchandise being sold at the ground.’

Foster rates many of the current crop of Aussie stars very highly – and has even more praise for the aggressive, non-stop brand of soccer they play.

‘The speed against the Irish impressed me,’ Foster said. ‘For me, it is better to watch than men’s football, and that has nothing to do with me being a female.

‘The girls are better at going forward and their engines are incredible, they never stop running.

‘I can’t wait to see them [hopefully] progress to the knockout stage, the nation is definitely behind them.’ 

Foster, 46, looks back at her own World Cup experience two decades ago with mixed memories.

While elated to be playing on the ultimate stage, she was also hindered significantly at the time – by a stress fracture in her left leg.

‘I got through the group games against Russia (2-1 loss) and China (1-1 draw), but by our third match against Ghana, I was in agony,’ she recalled.

‘Looking back I don’t know how I started all three games, but you just do your bit for the team.’

A MRI scan after the World Cup revealed a stress fracture in Foster’s left femur, where it joins the hip.

She had no right to walk, let alone play against the best players in the world. 

These days Foster is a paramedic and is elated the Matildas have been embraced by sports lovers in Australia

Mary Fowler is a player many Matildas fans will be watching closely at the Women’s World Cup

The one-time electrician went onto feature in the 2004 Olympics in Athens – after snapping some ankle ligaments. 

Determined to take part in another global sporting event, Foster recalled using tape pre-games on multiple occasions so ‘her foot would fit in the boot.’

Next came a child, and Foster’s time at international level was done.