Best Women Soccer Players From Australia: Australia has one of the top women’s soccer teams. They won the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in China in 2010. The team is managed by the Australian Football Association and is currently coached by Tony Gustavsson from Sweden. They’ve won the Oceania Championship three times.
In 2006, they joined the Asian Championship and reached the final, but lost to China in penalties. They won it for the first time in 2010 by defeating North Korea in penalties. The team is known as the “Fighting Matildas” based on the song Waltzing Matilda.
Australia made it to the top 10 in the FIFA World rankings for the first time in 2011, ranking 9th. They were the second-best team in the AFC after Japan. After doing well in the qualifying tournament for the 2016 Olympic Games, they climbed to 5th place, becoming the best team in the AFC.
Best Women Soccer Players From Australia
In this article, we will discuss some of the best women’s soccer players from Australia, with a focus on the top scorers from the Australian women’s national team.
1. Sam Kerr
- Career Span: 2009–present
- Matches: 121
- Goals: 63
- Average: 0.52
Sam Kerr is a great soccer player from Australia. She started playing for the national team in 2009. In 2010, she scored the only goal for Australia in the Women’s Asian Football Championship final against North Korea. The team won the Asian Cup and qualified for the 2011 Women’s World Cup.
In the 2020 Olympics qualification, Kerr played well and became Australia’s all-time leading scorer with 48 goals. In 2022, she scored more goals in the Asian Championships, surpassing Tim Cahill as Australia’s top scorer for both men and women.
2. Lisa De Vanna
- Career Span: 2004–2019
- Matches: 150
- Goals: 47
- Average: 0.31
Lisa De Vanna is a talented soccer player from Australia. She has been playing for the Australian national team since 2004. She played her 100th international match during the 2015 World Cup and scored her 36th international goal against the USA.
She has scored seven goals in three World Cups, four of them as a substitute, making her the most successful substitute player in World Cup history. She also became Australia’s record player in the World Cup during the 2015 tournament.
In the 2018 Women’s Asian Football Championship, De Vanna reached the final with her team but lost to Japan. The Australian team had already qualified for the 2019 World Cup.
3. Kate Gill
- Career Span: 2004–2015
- Matches: 86
- Goals: 41
- Average: 0.48
Kate Gill is a notable Australian soccer player who had a successful career. She played in Australia’s Women’s National Soccer League (WNSL) and the W-League, as well as in Sweden’s Damallsvenskan league.
Gill, known for her skills as a striker, played for the Australia women’s national soccer team from 2004 to 2015. She was particularly strong in the air, skilled with the ball, and had an excellent ability to finish scoring opportunities. Though she was born in New Zealand, she grew up and attended school in Australia, graduating from Hunter Valley Grammar School in 2002. During her international career, Gill played 86 matches for the Matildas (Australia’s women’s national team) and scored 40 goals.
In 2016, Kate Gill announced her retirement from playing soccer. In 2020, she took on a role as a joint chief executive of the Professional Footballers Australia.
4. Cheryl Salisbury
- Career Span: 1994–2009
- Matches: 151
- Goals: 38
- Average: 0.25
Cheryl Salisbury is a talented soccer player from Australia. She joined the national team in 1994 at 20 years old. She had a significant role in many tournaments, including the 1995 World Cup, where Australia unfortunately didn’t advance past the group stage. She scored five goals in a match against American Samoa in 1998, setting a big win for Australia.
Salisbury played in the 1999 World Cup and the 2000 Olympics, where she scored against Sweden. She also contributed to Australia’s qualification for the 2003 World Cup. In 2004, she marked her 100th international match against the USA and later became the first Australian to play in four World Cups.
In 2007, Salisbury scored in a historic game against Canada, helping Australia reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time. She played her final international match in 2009 against Italy, ending her remarkable career with 151 appearances and 38 goals, a notable achievement for a defender.
5. Sarah Walsh
- Career Span: 2004–2012
- Matches: 70
- Goals: 32
- Average: 0.46
Sarah Walsh was a talented soccer player from Australia. She played for Sky Blue FC in the Women’s Professional Soccer League and later joined Saint Louis Athletica in 2009. Walsh represented Australia in the 2004 Summer Olympics, Women’s Football Asian Championship, and the 2007 Women’s Football World Cup.
On August 30, 2012, Walsh retired from the national team after her last game, a friendly match against the United States on September 19, 2012. In this game, she scored a goal before being substituted in the 54th minute.
After her international retirement, Walsh signed a contract with Western Sydney Wanderers FC in October 2012. She was chosen as the team captain by her teammates, showcasing her leadership and skills on the field.
6. Emily Van Egmond
- Career Span: 2010–present
- Matches: 127
- Goals: 30
- Average: 0.24
Emily Van Egmond is a prominent soccer player from Australia. She made her debut in the Australian national team in 2010 and won the 2010 Women’s Asian Football Championship with the team.
Van Egmond also played in the 2011 World Championships in Germany, the 2015 tournament in Canada, and the 2019 event in France.
In January 2022, she was part of the Asian Championships in India. In the first game against Indonesia, she scored three goals in a massive 18-0 victory. Van Egmond continued her scoring streak in the following group games. However, in the quarter-finals, she and her team couldn’t find the net, leading to their elimination against South Korea after a 0-1 defeat.
7. Caitlin Foord
- Career Span: 2011–present
- Matches: 108
- Goals: 29
- Average: 0.27
Caitlin Foord is a talented soccer player from Australia. She was a key player in the 2011 World Cup in Germany, where Australia reached the quarter-finals. She received the tournament’s Best Young Player award.
Foord played in various tournaments, including the 2014 Women’s Asian Football Championship and the 2015 World Cup. Despite their efforts, Australia couldn’t defend their title and lost to Japan in the final. Foord also played in the 2016 Olympic Games, scoring a goal against Germany.
Unfortunately, she missed the 2018 Women’s Asian Football Championship due to a foot injury. However, she returned to the World Cup in France in 2019, scoring a crucial goal against Brazil. Foord was also part of the team in the 2020 Olympic Games, where Australia finished fourth, their best result in a major international tournament.
8. Kyah Simon
- Career Span: 2007–present
- Matches: 111
- Goals: 29
- Average: 0.26
Kyah Simon is a respected Australian soccer player. During the 2016 Olympic Games, Simon and her team reached the quarter-finals but lost to Brazil on penalties. In the 2018 Women’s Asian Football Championship, she played in all five games, securing Australia’s qualification for the 2019 World Cup. Although she was part of the squad for the World Cup in France, she was mainly on standby.
In the qualification matches for the 2020 Olympic Games, which were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Simon played in all five games and scored two goals. During the rescheduled Olympic Games, she played in all of Australia’s matches, marking her 100th international game in the semi-final against Sweden. Australia finished fourth, their best result in a major international tournament.
In January 2022, Simon was nominated for the Asian Championships in India. She played in the group games and scored two goals in the 18-0 victory against Indonesia. Despite her efforts, Australia was eliminated in the quarter-finals against South Korea.
9. Joanne Peters
- Career Span: 1996–2009
- Matches: 110
- Goals: 28
- Average: 0.25
Joanne Peters was a significant figure in Australian women’s soccer. She was called up to the national team at just 17 years old in March 1996. She played a crucial role in the 2003 Oceania Championship, scoring six goals to help Australia qualify for the 2003 World Cup. Australia, unfortunately, didn’t progress past the group stage in the World Cup, facing defeats against Russia and Ghana.
In the 2004 Olympic Games, Peters scored a goal against Papua New Guinea, contributing to Australia’s qualification for the quarter-finals. However, they were defeated by Sweden.
Australia transitioned to the Asian Association in 2006, requiring them to qualify for the World Cup through the 2006 Women’s Asian Football Championship. Peters played a role in the final against China, contributing a goal, but Australia lost in the penalty shootout. Despite the loss, they qualified for the World Cup in China.
10. Sunni Hughes
- Career Span: 1989–2000
- Matches: 63
- Goals: 24
- Average: 0.38
Linda “Sunni” Hughes is a respected former women’s soccer player from Australia. She represented her country in the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2000 Olympics.
Hughes also played professionally for clubs in Denmark and Japan. In recognition of her contributions to Australian soccer, she was inducted into Australia’s Soccer Hall of Fame in December 2013.
