Kyah Simon was a shock including in a provisional 29-player Matildas World Cup squad named on Monday just eight months after tearing her ACL.
Matildas’ coach Tony Gustavsson confirmed the star-filled squad which will be trimmed before his team battles for the World Cup on home soil in July.
Superstar captain Sam Kerr will lead a team bursting with quality but the inclusion of veteran Simon, who hasn’t played since injuring her knee last October while playing for Tottenham, raised some eyebrows.
Simon, who turns 32 later this month, will get a chance to prove her fitness, along with fellow squad members Alanna Kennedy, Chloe Logarzo and Emily Gielnik before the squad is cut down from 29 to 23.
Gustavsson said the provisional Squad reflects significant commitment and hard work from players and staff over the past two and half years.
“From the first day of our first training session in 2021, we said it would take 23 in 23 for the FIFA Women’s World Cup and everyone would have a role to play in that journey,” Gustavsson said.
“What we have seen is that it has actually taken more than 23 players to bring us to this moment and for that reason I am thrilled to work with the players named in this Provisional Squad during the final phase of our preparation.
“I have been impressed by their full commitment at every step, and now we have the chance to fine tune and solidify our game plan ahead of a phenomenally exciting couple of weeks.”
“I would like to also take this opportunity to thank the Federation, my dedicated national team staff and the clubs for the support given to provide the players the platform to be as best prepared for the tournament of a lifetime,” Gustavsson concluded.
Squad members will assemble on the Gold Coast to complete the final preparations for the tournament in a closed high-performance environment.
The Australians open their World Cup campaign against ireland on July 20.
Matildas 29-player provisional squad:
Mackenzie Arnold, Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Alex Chidiac, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Larissa Crummer, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Emily Gielnik, Katrina Gorry, Charlotte Grant, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, Sam Kerr, Chloe Logarzo, Aivi Luik, Teagan Micah, Courtney Nevin, Clare Polkinghorne, Hayley Raso, Amy Sayer, Remy Siemsen, Kyah Simon, Emily van Egmond, Cortnee Vine, Clare Wheeler, Jada Whyman, Lydia Williams, Tameka Yallop,
