A Matildas star has revealed that an unexpected pre-game surge from Olympic icon Cathy Freeman was the catalyst for their huge 10-0 win over Uzbekistan on Tuesday.
The Australian women’s team only needed a draw to ensure safe passage to the Paris Olympics, but defeated their hapless rival in a rout for good at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.
A special moment was celebrated on the field when the notoriously reclusive Freeman, a Sydney 2000 gold medallist, appeared on the field and posed for photographs with players, including fellow Indigenous star Mary Fowler.
Matildas star Mary Fowler and Cathy Freeman shared some special moments on the pitch after the win over Uzbekistan.
More than half of the Matildas consider Cathy Freeman their greatest sporting hero after her gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Now, veteran Matildas defender Aivi Luik has revealed that Freeman motivated the entire team ahead of the clash.
“We worked hard, we sat in our chairs and he (the Swedish football coach) mentioned that while these types of tournaments require a lot of tactics, it also requires a lot of faith and a lot of heart, so we were going to take a little turn and do something a little different,’ Luik said.
‘They played a three-minute highlight reel of Cathy Freeman’s career moment on YouTube and at the end there was a lot of excitement in the room.
‘When they turned on the lights, we turned around and there she was. It was a big surprise for us. “A lot of girls were very excited.”
It is not the first time Freeman has surprised the Matildas in camp and has also visited them ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup at home in 2023.
This came after an internal survey revealed that more than half of the Matildas rated Freeman as their biggest sporting hero.
Australian captain Steph Catley, filling in for the injured Sam Kerr, also took time out with Freeman after the record-breaking win.
“You still get goosebumps seeing Cathy Freeman so long later,” NSL great Andy Harper said on Ten during commentary.
“Imagine what it’s like for the athletes of women’s sport, the standard bearers, the torch bearers and Cathy Freeman certainly that, to come into this environment and be really happy and relaxed passing that baton to another group and taking in this whole debate, elevating the status of women’s sport to levels hitherto unknown.
“It’s a great story that continues to be told.”
At the age of 50, Freeman is recovering from a major injury that required surgery last year and relies on a cane for assistance.
The Sydney 2000 gold medalist suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon at home, but has shown improvement and stopped using crutches to improve her mobility.
Freeman was honored with a booth named after her at the same spot where she won Olympic gold.
Freeman is considered not only one of the greatest women or indigenous athletes to represent Australia, but also one of the greatest athletes to ever compete.
In September, the renowned Indigenous athlete attracted attention when the New South Wales government revealed plans to name a stand in her honor at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, the site of her iconic Games victory.
Exactly 23 years earlier, on the same date, Freeman had ceremoniously lit the flame at the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games held at the stadium.
A decade later, she captivated the nation by winning the women’s 400m final there and celebrated by completing a victory lap while holding the Australian and Indigenous flags, in front of a massive crowd of over 110,000 fans.
This historic moment held the record as the most watched television event in the country until it was surpassed by the Matildas’ World Cup semi-final against England at the same stadium.
Freeman said she felt “deeply honored and humbled” to be permanently recognized in a stadium that held a special place in her heart.
“I hope that my story continues to inspire generations of girls and boys to pursue their own dreams in sport and life,” he said.