The Matildas squad announcement today will have quashed any thoughts that you’ve seen it all in terms of football teams publishing those who’ve made the cut, with Katrina Gorry’s daughter Harper taking centre stage in a video on their official social media account.
“We asked a special friend to help us announce our #Paris2024 Round 3 Olympic Qualifiers squad #Matildas #TilitsDone #AllezAUS @KatrinaGorry” the caption accompanying the video read.
🎤 We asked a special friend to help us announce our #Paris2024 Round 3 Olympic Qualifiers squad!#Matildas #TilitsDone #AllezAUS @KatrinaGorry pic.twitter.com/DSNXduvDEV
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 7, 2024
The two year old was decked out in her Australia jersey for the occasion, sitting on a deck chair and calling out the names, or nicknames, of those who have made Tony Gustavsson’s squad for their upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Asian Qualifiers.
Gorry gave birth to the video’s star Harper in August 2021, and since then she’s become very close with the players, becoming a mascot of sorts for the team, and even featuring quite a lot on social media during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup that took place in Australia and New Zealand.
“Can we get the food off your face,” the video opens, with Gorry entering the picture and forward Mary Fowler watching on and smiling at the cuteness on show.
“Harper,” Harper says as Fowler smiles and then replies , “is that you?”
“Yeah,” Harper says.
Fowler then attempts to cajole Harper, who also has football boots on for the important task at hand, to call out her name.
“You can say Mary, you see her on TV all the time,” Gorry adds.
Harper then plays around with the mic before saying “team list” and beginning to call out the names, following a little burp and a pillow falling of course.
“Kyra, Polky, Mary, Steph, Kaitlyn Torpey, Lani, Clare, Charli, Macca, Aivi, Michelle, Caitlin, Teagan, Mama, Hayley, Ellie, Meeks, Jada, Amy, Corky (Courtnee), Clare, Eve, Chloe” she says, before calling out “go Tillies!”
Ripping off her mic and returning to the important businsess of singing Frozen's 'Do you want to build a snowman' after all of that tough work, if you consult the reaction the video got on social media, it’s safe to say Harper did a great job.
“I expect all team announcements to be like this from now on, the bar has been set,” one commenter said.
“This is the best squad announcement ever,” read another.
I expect all team announcements to be like this from now on, the bar has been set.
— Brendan F (@brendanfsc) February 7, 2024
The 23 player squad itself also garnered some reaction, with tallyswoman Sam Kerr absent due to the ACL injury she picked up recently, although it has been announced that Steph Catley will step into her role as captain.
The full Matildas squad announcement list, minus Harper’s nicknames, is as follows;
Mackenzie ARNOLD (Goalkeeper) - West Ham United FC
Ellie CARPENTER (Back) - Olympique Lyon
Steph CATLEY (Captain, back) - Arsenal WFC
Kyra COONEY-CROSS (Midfielder) - Arsenal WFC
Caitlin FOORD (Forward) - Arsenal WFC
Mary FOWLER (Midfielder) - Manchester City WFC
Katrina GORRY (Midfielder) - West Ham United FC
Charlotte GRANT (Back) - Tottenham Hotspur FC
Michelle HEYMAN (Forward) - Canberra United FC
Clare HUNT (Back) - Paris Saint-Germain FC
Alanna KENNEDY (Back) - Manchester City WFC
Chloe LOGARZO (Midfielder) - Western United FC
Aivi LUIK (Back) - BK Häcken
Teagan MICAH (Goalkeeper) - Liverpool WFC
Clare POLKINGHORNE (Back) - Kristianstads DFF
Hayley RASO (Forward) - Real Madrid Femenino
Amy SAYER (Midfielder) - Kristianstads DFF
Kaitlyn TORPEY (Back) - San Diego Wave FC
Emily VAN EGMOND (Midfielder) - San Diego Wave FC
Cortnee VINE (Forward) - Sydney FC
Clare WHEELER (Midfielder) - Everton WFC
Jada WHYMAN (Goalkeeper) - Sydney FC
Tameka YALLOP (Midfielder) - Brisbane Roar FC
Ready to represent. 🇦🇺🫡#Matildas #TilitsDone #AllezAUS #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/eJ3Mvdoupc
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) February 6, 2024
