
I think I'll remember the moment forever.
It was August 12, 2023, and the Matildas were on a hot streak at the FIFA Women's World Cup. The girls in green and gold were in a ferocious match-up against France vying for a spot in the semi-finals.
After 120 minutes of hustle and grunt, the teams could not be separated.
What unfolded was one of the most intense, nail-biting showdowns in sporting history, with a penalty shoot-out for the ages.
And then, there she stood. Cortnee Vine eyed the ball. I held my breath. My daughter was asleep in the other room. The weight of everything this would mean to the young girl inside me and the future for my daughter formed a hard chunk in my throat.
Cortnee drew back and then... BOOM. The ball hit the back of the net and victory was ours.
Tears streamed down my face. And to this day I get emotional thinking about how groundbreaking that moment was. Sure, I could list you off a million and one other moments from the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup that cemented the Matildas in our hearts, but there's something about that penalty shoot-out that is the clincher.
I've recently been brought back to that tidal wave of emotion I felt back in 2023 after I watched the new Stan Original Documentary Trailblazers.
This mini documentary sets out to detail the history of the women's national football team and shed light on just how far the Tillies have come. And I must say, watching Trailblazers was a real eye-opener for me, because I'd be lying if I said I had followed them before the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.