After seeing herself referred to as \u2018former Matilda\u2019 in recent press reporting, Kyah Simon has used Instagram to issue a social media statement clarifying that she is still available and passionate about playing for the senior national side. <\/p>\n
The 111-time Matilda, who famously struck the winning penalty as an 18-year-old the last time Australia won the Asian Cup, in 2010, has not played for the senior national side for three years.<\/p>\n
She was part of Tony Gustavsson\u2019s 2023 FIFA World Cup squad although battled injury through that tournament and didn\u2019t recover fully enough from a knee injury suffered in October the year before. Since, she has endured a series of further injuries while at Central Coast and Sydney FC prior to returning abroad, signing with Dijon FCO in France in October. <\/p>\n
Although overlooked by Joe Montemurro for this squad, the 34-year-old posted a heartfelt, lengthy statement about reports or inferences that she was retired from the national side. <\/p>\n
\u201cRecently I\u2019ve seen a lot of references to me as a \u2018former Matilda\u2019, and I feel it\u2019s important to clarify that in my own words,\u201d she wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt it was important to speak for myself. I don\u2019t usually feel the need to explain or justify. But I\u2019ve learned that when you don\u2019t own your narrative, speculation fills the space.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is me choosing clarity.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have not retired from international football.\u201d<\/p>\n
She admitted that her injuries have posed challenges for her in recent years, and while she is realistic about where she stands in terms of international selection, the return to football overseas has rekindled her belief and reminded her that she \u201chas more to give\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to put myself back into a high performance environment, compete at a high level, and earn everything again properly \u2013 through fitness and form,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe past few years have been challenging \u2013 it\u2019s been a stop-start period, navigating rehab, season timing, limited full-time contracts in the A-League \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, representing Australia remains a goal. But selection comes from consistency, match minutes and performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Simon, back in Australia while out with a groin niggle at the moment, said the last few years had been a powerful reminder to find purpose outside her identity as a footballer.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne thing this period has taught me deeply is the importance of identity beyond football,\u201d Simon said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the game pauses, whether through injury or selection, so does the noise. The praise quiets [sic], the criticism can grow loud, and you\u2019re left with yourself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve learned that self-worth can\u2019t be attached purely to what you do on the pitch. It has to exist beyond it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll continue playing for as long as I can. I feel incredibly grateful to do this for a living.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wouldn\u2019t sit right with me to walk away while I still feel there\u2019s more inside. If it\u2019s meant to be, it will be.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s get behind the girls to bring this cup back home. Let\u2019s go Tillies.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After seeing herself referred to as \u2018former Matilda\u2019 in recent press reporting, Kyah Simon has used Instagram to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":497981,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[563],"tags":[64,63,596,85],"class_list":["post-497980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-football","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/497980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=497980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/497980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/497981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=497980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=497980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=497980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}