Alex Chidiac has taken a different route to the World Cup this year, learning to live outside her comfort zone since missing a spot in the Matildas squad four years ago in France.
Chidiac, 24, is a fan favourite on Australian soil and last season took out the prestigious Julie Dolan Medal, the A-League Women’s highest individual honour, despite playing just 13 regular season matches on loan to Melbourne Victory from her NWSL club in the United States.
Alex Chidiac celebrates scoring against Jamaica as Australia took out the Cup of Nations tournament.Credit: Getty Images
But she’s still making her name known on the world stage. Though she has 27 caps for the Matildas, she has appeared just twice on the starting XI in the last four years.
She’s what Australian head coach Tony Gustavsson calls a “game-changer”, a player who starts on the bench but comes in to make an impact when needed. Think Mary Fowler’s goal in Australia’s send-off game against France.
Chidiac herself had a goal, her second at international level, in Australia’s 3-0 win against Jamaica in March this year, and many fans weren’t surprised to see her make this World Cup squad after her growth over the past four years.
But getting to this point has been challenging.
“I was actually in Spain [playing for Atletico Madrid] when I found out that I wasn’t selected for the last World Cup. So, that was a very difficult starting point,” Chidiac said.
“But I remember vividly, I kind of went to one of my favourite places in Spain and I just sat there and kind of reflected on the past four years trying to make that World Cup team and what I’d want to do differently, and if I looked back at some of the decisions that I’ve made during that time, you know, where would I be now and I kind of came to the conclusion I wouldn’t have done too many things differently.”
Chidiac said she was warned before heading to the powerhouse Spanish club in 2018 that she’d have a better shot at making the squad if she stayed home, but she wanted to challenge herself. Sometimes that worked out, she said, and other times not.
“[But] it’s gotten me to where I am now and I feel like I’m a more well-rounded person and player for that.”
Since being overlooked in 2019 by then coach Ante Milicic, Chidiac says she has mostly lived entirely outside her comfort zone, which she admits hasn’t been “the nicest feeling”, but forced her to learn how to handle different pressures.
Chidiac returned to the A-League in 2020 with Melbourne City before receiving the offer to play for JEF United Chiba in Japan’s WE League, and then Racing Louisville in America in 2022.
“I feel a lot more calm, I’m not going to lie, then I did four years ago. Just having that experience knowing what it’s like … I’m not as scared and I’m just continuing to do what I’ve been doing, which is really push myself and challenge myself and find my limits,” she said.
Alex Chidiac celebrates a goal with Caitlin Foord during the Matildas’ Cup of Nations win over Jamaica.Credit: Getty Images
“I’ve been able to challenge myself here in the US, a very different style of play and that’s something that is not super comfortable for me, but you know, it’s opened up other doors … I’m just trusting the process at the moment.”
Those that have followed Chidiac’s career know she’s an attacking midfielder with a fierce left boot but a fun-loving personality. It’s something she’s determined to maintain.
“What we do is quite serious and when you get to the top level, I mean, it is your job and I think you sometimes forget that you started out just playing for fun …,” she said.
“So I think I like to joke around a lot in training. I try and keep that as much as possible even though there are obviously times to do and times not to do … [It] shows your personality within football as well.”
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