As anticipation builds ahead of July’s Women’s World Cup, fans around the world can further whet their appetites with the April 26 release on Disney+ of “Matildas: The World at Our Feet,” a captivating documentary that follows the journey of Australia‘s women’s national team as they prepare for the biggest moment in their shared history.
Beginning with the opening match of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, the series is an inspiring and empowering exploration of the team’s rise to international stardom and their unwavering determination to leave their mark on world football.
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The Asian Cup was the second major tournament for the Matildas under head coach Tony Gustavsson and, while the early exit triggered alarm bells throughout the Australian women’s football community, it provides the ideal launchpad for the series.
While Gustavsson’s methodology and process are constants throughout, it’s clear as the stories unfold that the psyche of the players, their motivations and unwavering support of each other is what gives the Matildas their collective strength.
With exclusive access to the team’s training camps, locker rooms and home life, this is a riveting and humanising portrayal of the sacrifices, challenges and triumphs that the players experience in pursuit of excellence.
Sharing deeply personal moments — such as childhood dreams, crucial family support, navigating motherhood and long-distance love — each episode highlights the remarkable journey of passion and determination that has earned the Matildas a special place in the hearts of fans around the world.
Every young footballer dreams of becoming Sam Kerr, backflipping their way to international stardom, but this series starkly highlights that those moments are the tip of the iceberg in a story which involves much more than just football.
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Responsibility weighs heavily on the shoulders of the Australia captain and Chelsea striker and here we get a unique insight into how Kerr deals with that pressure, juggles a long-distance relationship with USWNT star Kristie Mewis and the ongoing fight for gender equality. This is juxtaposed with moments of levity as Australia’s most famous female footballer displays a wicked sense of humour and some excellent karaoke talents.
Ellie Carpenter doesn’t mind a musical performance either, however her narrative from the highest of highs to the lowest ebb could not have been better scripted for TV as the camera follows her out onto the pitch for a UEFA Women’s Champions League final which would end in tears and a ruptured knee ligament just 12 minutes later. It’s heartbreaking to watch her pain and see self-doubt creep in as she ponders the possibility that the dream she has dedicated her entire life to — playing at a home World Cup — may never be realised.
