FIFA Women's World Cup: Why Sam Kerr and the Matildas are 'unmissable'

Sam Kerr, making her international debut in the 76th minute of a 5-1 loss to Italy in front of a handful of people in Canberra. The most noteworthy part of it all might have been that this rookie was only 15, making her the fourth-youngest Matilda of all time. Still, it was hardly enough to cause a ripple in the mainstream.

How then, in our own backyard, is Kerr about to become the face of a FIFA World Cup watched by an estimated 2 billion people across the globe, with more than one million filling grandstands?

Three years have passed since Australia and New Zealand were announced as hosts of the 2023 World Cup. When the Matildas face the Republic of Ireland on Thursday night, they do so as a team redefining sport's commercial model.

Ask a casual fan to name an Australian soccer player and more often than not you'll hear Kerr, who is Australian soccer's biggest star and whose shoulders carry the burden of the Matildas' World Cup hopes.

Or that casual punter might respond with "the grey Wiggle", which only emphasises the point that the Matildas have bucked tradition to arguably become the more marketable national team within their code.

"It's hard to put a finger on it," RMIT's sport marketing expert Con Stavros said.

"I guess Sam Kerr is probably the leading light there that galvanises it. We have, in her, one of the best, and I think she is the best player in the world. That is incredibly aspirational for the younger population.

"Australians like winners. We like to see our individuals and teams doing it on the world stage."

How does the pressure of a home World Cup sit with 29-year-old Kerr, a winner of golden boot awards on three different continents and a cover athlete on a global video game?

"For me, it's about staying in the moment and enjoying it," Kerr said.

"The biggest regret for me out of the last few World Cups I've been to is getting caught up in things, getting caught up in a bad pass, bad touch.

"Whenever there's a big game, a big moment, if the pressure's not there, it probably means it's not that big of a game to be honest.

"I think pressure is a privilege and I love pressure. I love being in a moment where one or two moments can change the path, your career really, and I think this World Cup is one of those moments."

The World Cup is being trumpeted as the biggest sporting event on Australian soil since the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

Few could forget the vision of Cathy Freeman inspiring a nation as she rounded the bend at Stadium Australia. This time it will be Kerr on centre stage with viewing figures to exceed women's tournaments to have gone before.

The number of teams rises from 24 to 32, which United States striker Alex Morgan says can make this tournament the "best one yet". Former Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou has urged the Matildas to seize the "once in a lifetime opportunity" on home soil.

How realistic are Australia's chances when five teams are considered a better chance to win the tournament without the burden of playing in their own backyard?

"We're a genuine chance to win. We can't often say that," Stavros said.

"The Socceroos is the team I love more than any other in sport, but I'm probably fantasising if I think the Socceroos are going to win a World Cup. I'd be happy if they could get to the quarter-finals, I'd dream of a semi-final.

"There's a real aspiration, though, about this Australian team. They're not the favourites, they're not the second favourites, they're probably not even the third or fourth favourites, but they're in there with a shot because of how open it is and the fact they're playing at home. There's a bit of momentum behind all of that.

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"Women's football has really grown a lot over the past decade. The last World Cup in France did really well in terms of ratings and interest. It's all set up here for Australia and New Zealand to really put on a great tournament.

"Once it starts unfolding, particularly if the home countries start doing well, that's a bit of an unknown, if Australia can get through to semi-finals or thereabouts, the momentum builds.

"The media starts getting on board, people start talking about it, the matches become unmissable."