MELBOURNE : Mary Fowler’s thrill at being picked for Australia’s 2019 World Cup squad as a 16-year-old prodigy soon gave way to disappointment when she was unable to get on the pitch and the Matildas crashed out of the last 16.
The Manchester City attacker now hopes to make up for lost time when Australia kicks off the World Cup this month with co-hosts New Zealand.
“I’m really excited. Getting to be part of it last time, I just saw how big it was,” she told reporters in Melbourne of 2019.
“And not getting any minutes just made me want it even more.
“Going into it now, I feel so much more mature as a player and confident in what I bring to this team. I’m hopefully going to get some minutes and be able to (contribute).”
Though striker Sam Kerr’s finishing is likely to be crucial for Australia to go beyond the quarter-finals for the first time, Fowler’s skill and creativity could also prove crucial.
Technically the team’s best “two-footed” player, Fowler was hailed by former Australia coach Alen Stajcic as one of the most gifted youngsters he had ever seen after her 2018 debut.
As a 16-year-old, she set herself the lofty goal of becoming the world’s best player. While still some way off that mark, Fowler is confident she is on the way to becoming the best she can be.
“I look back at what I’ve done so far and I’m happy with it,” she said.
“It’s become more of a balance thing for me. Be the best footballer you can be, be the best person you can be.”
With mixed heritage from her Irish father and Papua New Guinean mother, three nations had potential claims to Fowler’s soccer talents.
Her older sister Ciara represented Ireland youth teams while her older brother Quivi flirted with a professional career during a stint in the Netherlands.
Australia swooped quickly for Mary, who developed her game on tropical beaches in far north Queensland with her talented siblings.
Australia play Ireland in their World Cup opener in Sydney on July 20 and Fowler said her dad would definitely be wearing a Matildas jersey in the terraces.
“I think it’s a nice one for the family,” she added.
“They get to get a bit out of it, no matter which way it goes.”
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