The Commbank ParaMatildas has become the first Australian football team to win an international championship, taking out the IFCPF Women’s World Cup 2024 in Salou, Spain.
“We’ve done this for them, we’ve done this for Australia, and we’ve done this for Para athletes in Australia as well,” the team’s coach, Kelly Stirton, told reporters at the game.
The Commbank ParaMatildas is Australia’s national female football team that was first formed in 2019. It is a team for women and girls with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury and symptoms of stroke. They stand alongside the Matildas and Socceroos as one of Australia’s national football teams.
The team was dominant throughout the tournament, winning every game on the way to the final. In advance, they defeated Denmark on 19 November in an exhaustive 10-0 victory, securing their place in the Women’s World Cup Final in Spain.
In the final on 20 November, the team came from two goals down to beat the United States 6-2. Within the first six minutes of the game, the USA’s players Cassidy Leake and Kaia Spencer scored their first two goals of the game, and the USA established a brief dominance.
Then, at 16 minutes, Australia’s goalkeeper, Katelyn Smith, went long and scored Australia’s first goal. Australia received a penalty and Katelyn scored again 32 minutes into the game, putting Australia ahead by one point. From there, the team charged to victory, cementing their spot as the top Women’s CP Football team.
“Every one of those girls deserve it and all the girls back home deserve it as well,” Kelly Stirton said.
The ParaMatildas have made history. Beating out the Socceroos and Matildas for the first Australian football team to win a world title.
