FIFA Women’s World Cup: Matildas and English counterparts Lionesses know what to expect in matchup

When the Matildas line-up against their English counterparts on Wednesday both sides will be confident they know what to expect from their opponents.

Because while the countries have never actually faced each other in a competitive fixture, their players will be all too familiar with each other.

With England’s Women’s Super League having become a magnet for global talent, more than a third of the Matildas squad currently play their club football there.

And so, while the age-old rivalry between the sporting nations will be clear come Wednesday, many of their stars are far from enemies.

Chief among the WSL’s biggest names is Australia’s most successful soccer export and WA superstar Sam Kerr.

The Matildas skipper plays alongside Lionesses captain Millie Bright for Chelsea, where they are also teammates with fellow England stars Fran Kirby, Lauren James and Jess Carter.

Bright and Kerr, pictured above lifting the WSL trophy, have delivered an array of trophies for the London-based club and are well-known to be friends off the pitch, too.

It’s a similar story in the north of England where Matildas young gun Mary Fowler and stalwart Alanna Kennedy play for Manchester City alongside six members of the Lionesses’ squad. They include England strikers Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp.

While no longer at City, Australia’s World Cup standout Hayley Raso was also at the club before her historic move to Spanish giants Real Madrid last month.

And it doesn’t stop there.

England’s Alessia Russo has recently joined Arsenal, where she will link up with Matildas left-sided duo Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord, while Aussie goalkeeper and quarterfinal hero Mackenzie Arnold has faced off against the bulk of the Lionesses as West Ham’s number one.

So, the nature of the players’ careers means that if a spot in the World Cup final wasn’t incentive enough, there will be the added pleasure of winning bragging rights.

A unique experience given the lack of games having been played between the teams.

While the Matildas can lay claim to winning the last fixture between the pair — a 2-0 friendly win in April — the nations have never met at a World Cup.

The closest the two have come to a competitive fixture was during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But the Matildas’ 4-3 win in extra time at the Games was technically against a combined Great Britain team, not England.

As a result, it will be a rare meeting of the old enemies, that will see the best of friends putting allegiances aside.

And there will be no love lost on the pitch.

“How can you not look forward to playing in that game?” Lionesses captain Bright told UK media this week.

“We’ve spoken about it a lot — this is the biggest tournament in the women’s game to date — so what a game to be a part of. We’ve not come here just to compete. We’ve come here to get the job done.”