It's a new era for the Matildas as the disappointment of the Paris 2024 Olympics shrinks in the rearview mirror.
Veteran coach Tom Sermanni has been tasked with leading the team in the interim while a long-term head coach is found. There are no major tournaments scheduled for the Matildas until the home Asian Cup in 2026, which means the new coach will have a year's worth of international windows to prepare for that tournament and put their own stamp on the team.
Part of a new era and a new cycle also means finding and integrating new players with the likes of Lydia Williams, Clare Polkinghorne, and Elise Kellond-Knight -- with a combined 386 caps between them -- all retiring this year.
It means now is the time to keep an eye on Matildas-eligible players across the globe. The list does not include Australians who have declared and played for other eligible national teams for obvious reasons, nor does it track the dozens of Australians playing their football in the US college system for brevity.
Instead, this is a list of more than 30 players playing in top leagues around the world, many known Matildas quantities and many on the national team fringes, waiting for an opportunity to be afforded to them.
Women's Super League
Kyra Cooney-Cross, 22, MF, Arsenal: One of several Aussies in and around North London, Cooney-Cross has cemented herself as a Matildas starter but has yet to do the same at Arsenal. With solid minutes in the Champions League qualifying rounds, she's played just 253 minutes across five games in the WSL. With a new Arsenal coach incoming following Jonas Eidevall's departure, hopefully more minutes are imminent.
Caitlin Foord, 29, FW, Arsenal: Foord has been consistently starting for the Gunners as they navigate the WSL and the Champions League, now without a manager. The 29-year-old is returning to some good form with a goal against Chelsea in the league and a goal against Valerenga in the Champions League group stage.
Steph Catley, 30, DF, Arsenal: Injury has hampered Catley's start to the season, but the stand-in Matildas skipper is finally back on the pitch, clocking a full 90 against West Ham United in the league following cameos off the bench in England and Europe. She's been deployed as both a left-back and centre-back; a combination Matildas fans are all too familiar with.
Milly Boughton, 18, MF, Arsenal under-21s: The outlier on this list, both in age and league, Boughton is one to keep an eye on. She was part of the squad which steered the Young Matildas to a third-place finish at the Under-20 Women's Asian Cup earlier this year, and was the only member of that squad who played overseas. The 18-year-old recently made the move from Tottenham's under-21s to Arsenal, and made a strong impact on debut, scoring a brace.
Charlize Rule, 21, DF, Brighton & Hove Albion: Rule was a key part of Sydney FC's success and was rewarded with a move to Brighton last season. A hip injury limited her to nine appearances in her debut season and surgery and rehab has delayed her start to this new season. But she is working her way to full fitness and will look to impress new Brighton manager -- former Melbourne City boss Dario Vidosic -- as well as the new Matildas manager in due course.
Sam Kerr, 31, FW, Chelsea: The Matildas skipper hasn't played since January when she tore an ACL during a training camp in Morocco with Chelsea. Undeniably one of the first names on the team sheet when she is fit, there seems to be a consensus among all interested parties that there is no sense in rushing her back. While she will be a welcome sight back in green and gold, part of the new coach's job will be finding someone who can play as a goal-scorer for the Matildas, if and when Kerr is absent in the future.
Clare Wheeler, 26, MF, Everton: It's Wheeler season! After a breakout year with Everton when she cemented a spot in the centre of the Toffees' midfield, she has carried that form into the new season, playing every minute of every game so far. A greater opportunity at national team level feels like the next logical step.
Courtney Nevin, 22, DF, Leicester City: Nevin has long been on the periphery of the Matildas squad. Into her third season with the Foxes, she has been building up her matches: 12 in her first season, 16 in her second. She has started this new campaign with 214 minutes across four games including back-to-back full 90s before this international break.
Teagan Micah, 27, GK, Liverpool: There was plenty of excitement at Micah's move to Merseyside. However, her first season was marred by concussion and its symptoms, keeping her off the park for large swathes of time. Her second season has followed suit, this time an ankle injury keeping her from Liverpool and the Matildas. A clean bill of health will be the first step in her quest for the No. 1 goalkeeper spot for club and country.
Mary Fowler, 21, MF, Manchester City: Fowler has settled into life at Manchester City super well and Gareth Taylor has finally figured out how to get the best out of her. The 21-year-old is making an impact in the league and the Champions League, getting consistent minutes and finding the back of the net. The task for the next Matildas head coach is figuring out how to unlock the best of Fowler in a way that benefits the national team as a whole.
Alanna Kennedy, 29, DF, Manchester City: Kennedy is a rusted-on centre-back for the national team but is still battling for that title at Manchester City. Injuries have played a role in her lack of minutes but when she is given the nod, she certainly knows how to make an impact. Case in point: her 90 minute-performance against St. Polten in the Champions League was capped off with the thunderous strike above.
Charlotte Grant, 23, DF, Tottenham Hotspur: Now in her second season at Tottenham, Grant is surrounded by her Matildas teammates. However, the South Australian hasn't been able to break into the starting XI and stay there, picking up 94 minutes in the first five weeks of the WSL season. She is a player who would love to be earning more minutes.
Clare Hunt, 25, DF, Tottenham Hotspur: Hunt has taken to Tottenham like a duck to water following her move from Paris Saint-Germain over the offseason. The 25-year-old has seamlessly slotted into the Spurs' starting XI, playing every minute of WSL action this season, and scoring a goal to boot.
Hayley Raso, 30, FW, Tottenham Hotspur: North London agrees with Raso, who made a bright start to life at Spurs with three starts and a goal in her first three games in the WSL. It was a welcome change of pace from her time on the pitch at Real Madrid, where she was very much used as a bench option. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury has ruled her out of action for the next little while.
Katrina Gorry, 32, MF, West Ham United: Now donning the captain's armband, Gorry is back bossing the midfield for West Ham after ankle surgery ended her 2023-24 campaign prematurely and had people anxious about her availability for the Olympics. She has started this new season with 442 minutes across the opening five games.
National Women's Soccer League
Cortnee Vine, 26, FW, North Carolina Courage: Arguably the most anticipated move by an Australian woman in quite some time, Vine finally signed overseas with North Carolina Courage. She's logged 233 league minutes in four games and is adjusting to life in a new league and new country. While the current season isn't over, there is a hope that next season will be the one when she cements her place as a starter.
Charlotte McLean, 24, DF, North Carolina Courage: A strong performer with Sydney FC across multiple seasons, McLean made the move to North Carolina alongside Vine. While the defender has only made one appearance for the club -- a cameo off the bench in a Summer Cup match -- she remains an intriguing option as a future Matildas centre-back option. For now, more minutes is the main objective.
Mackenzie Arnold, 30, GK, Portland Thorns: The No. 1 goalkeeper from the Matildas surprised many when she signed with Portland Thorns following her stint with West Ham. Unfortunately, life in the Rose City hasn't been rosy with Arnold playing in five league games, conceding 10 goals. At this point in time, however, it shouldn't pose a threat to her status as the first-choice goalkeeper at national team level.
Emily van Egmond, 31, MF, San Diego Wave: A stalwart for the national team, van Egmond has played in every match this NWSL season for San Diego Wave, amassing 1,800 minutes across 25 appearances. While the 31-year-old is clearly trusted at club level in the midfield, her use in the middle of the park for the Matildas is a question the new coach will need to answer.
Emily van Egmond's cool as ice finish hands the Wave all three points! pic.twitter.com/hmvOLJtrj3
— National Women's Soccer League (@NWSL) March 30, 2024
Kaitlyn Torpey, 24, DF, San Diego Wave: Torpey was once the record outbound transfer from the A-League Women and there was plenty of excitement surrounding her move to San Diego. Limited game time to start the season led into the Olympics before a lower leg injury kept her away from the pitch for seven games. She's since played four league games and two Concacaf W Champions Cup games. Torpey has been playing as a left-back for the Wave.
USL Super League
Morgan Aquino, 23, GK, DC Power: While USL Super League's place in the American women's soccer pyramid may be contentious, one thing is for certain, Aquino has taken her strong form from the A-League and translated it to her new club, DC Power. Starting every game so far, keeping three clean sheets, and a league-leading 26 saves, Aquino is shining in a team that sits seventh out of eight clubs.
Damallsvenskan
Jada Whyman, 24, GK, AIK: Whyman is another Sydney FC star who finally made the move abroad, landing in Sweden with AIK. She's been thrust straight into a relegation battle as well, playing seven matches and keeping a clean sheet as the team tries to avoid the drop. This new test is holding her in good stead for an eventual Matildas debut and a tilt at the No. 1 spot.
Aivi Luik, 39, DF, BK Hacken: Luik was a favourite of former Matildas boss Tony Gustavsson thanks to her incredible work as a centre-back for BK Hacken in Sweden. Whether she is called upon by the new coach remains to be seen, firstly she must work through a doping ban, which she feels was a mistake.
Amy Sayer, 22, MF, Kristianstads DFF: Sayer is another Matilda who is working her way back from an ACL tear. Before the injury, she was gaining a lot of minutes for the national team and Kristianstads and, when Kerr had gone down with her knee injury, Sayer felt like a possible solution to that problem. She will once again be an option worth exploring in the middle of next year, once she has completed her rehab.
Remy Siemsen, 24, FW, Kristianstads DFF: Kristianstads is the Aussie hub in Sweden with Sayer and Polkinghorne also playing for the club alongside Siemsen. After a less than impressive stint at Leicester, Siemsen is enjoying life in Sweden. She is getting consistent game time, starting nine out of 10 games for 747 minutes. As a striker though, she has managed only two goals. In order to get back in the national team conversation, she has to increase her scoring output.
Polly Doran, 22, DF, Linköping: A player whose closest brush with the Matildas came via a call-up to the talent identification camp in 2021, Doran represents another interesting option at full-back. Having spent two seasons at Crystal Palace in England's second tier, helping get them promoted to the WSL, she is now plying her trade in Sweden with Linköping, earning eight starts in 12 matches.
Première Ligue
Ellie Carpenter, 24, DF, Lyon: It's business as usual for Carpenter with five starts in five league games for Lyon as well as two full Champions League games as the French giants attempt to regain their European crown under new coach, Joe Montemurro.
Sarah Hunter, 21, MF, Paris FC: Hunter got the call-up to the Matildas squad in place of Raso for the October international window and has arguably been a little bit out of sight, out of mind in terms of the national team radar since leaving Sydney FC two years ago. She played 160 minutes in her first season in Paris with injury very much hampering her campaign. Her sophomore season has already seen her partake in Champions League qualifiers and almost equal her minutes total from last season in just five weeks.
Kvindeliga
Winonah Heatley, 23, DF, Nordsjælland: Heatley is making a name for herself in Denmark with FC Nordsjælland. This season, she has started every one of the team's 10 matches and scored a goal as well as playing in Champions League qualifiers. Heatley has been in and around the Matildas setup in 2024 and a debut looks imminent.
Vrouwen Eredivisie
Daniela Galic, 18, MF, FC Twente: Fresh off another stellar season with Melbourne City and with a nomination for Women's Youth Player of the Year in the AFC annual awards under her belt, Galic is now plying her trade in the Netherlands with FC Twente. Earmarked as the next stargirl of Australian football, Galic has made her Eredivisie and Champions League debut as she works towards more minutes.
Frauen-Bundesliga
Anna Margraf, 23, FW, Carl Zeiss Jena: Another player who falls into the out of sight, out of mind category, Margraf last played in the A-League in 2022. Since then, she has played in Germany and Spain, currently suiting up for Carl Zeiss Jena. Born in Germany, playing her trade in the Frauen-Bundesliga makes a lot of sense. While she has only made two appearances this season, Margraf is one to bookmark because she plays as a forward.
Jamilla Rankin, 21, DF, Hoffenheim: Rankin left Melbourne Victory in the offseason, jetting over to Hoffenheim to play in the Frauen-Bundesliga. The left-back has played a role in every game this season for 237 minutes. While she hasn't made her senior debut, she has been part of the Matildas' under-23s set-up.
Scottish Women's Premier League
Emma Ilijoski, 21, DF, Hearts: Canberra United's player exodus has seen those who used to don the green jersey pop up not only across the A-League but across the globe, and that is the case with Ilijoski. The defender signed with Hearts in Scotland and has made three appearances with one start for 109 minutes.
Campeonato Nacional Feminino
Jacynta Galabadaarachchi, 23, FW, Sporting CP: Last year, Galabadaarachchi revealed that she hoped to represent Argentina -- one of several nations she could represent on the international stage -- and was waiting on her Argentinian passport. The exciting forward was born in Melbourne and played for Melbourne City and Perth Glory before heading abroad, with spells at West Ham, Napoli, and Celtic before landing in Portugal. While there is no indication that her national team plans have changed, perhaps a clean slate with a new coach might be the catalyst for a return to Matildas conversations.