Q: In this year’s edition, which national team will you cheer on? Will it be the Matildas or the Filipinas?

Topher: This is an intriguing question, as I am a Filipino-Australian of Chinese descent. Will I support my home country, where I was born? Here, I also did my tertiary education and published two books. Or will I go for my second home, where I grew up and attended school? My simple answer is: whoever progresses further in the tourney. Picking the Maltidas seems like a cop out. Together with New Zealand, Down Under is co-hosting the event. We cannot overlook the promise of my adopted homeland though, as they have recently won the regional meet. They are coached by an Aussie and had an emotional win to qualify for the last dance.

Avid Fan

Since I started tuning in to football, I’ve always supported the Socceroos. Shame though that their matches often unfold in an unholy hour, making it impossible for me to ogle. Sadly, they rarely progress beyond the group stages at the World Cups. We’ve had some truly sterling ball kickers, including Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell, and Matt Leckie. For a few years, I followed the A-League, Oz’s premier footballing club comp. I was always a Sydney FC fan. I hated the Melbourne Victory, especially when they downed us in the final. I likewise recall the rivalry between the Sky Blues and Western Sydney. In one match, Vittor Saba, the latter’s fiery marque player, was dramatically sent off after bickering with the ref.

Learning on the fly

This has been a long journey for both national squads. In the WC’s last instalment, the Aussies couldn’t beat the mighty US, with Megan Rapinoe as the headline act. They were eventually sent home by the Norwegians. Uncle Sam remains the team to beat, going in as the top ranked side. Meanwhile, the Filipinas have been in obscurity for decades. Since they began competing, this marks their World Cup debut. When I was growing up, I never heard of our national team, men’s or women’s alike. Football simply wasn’t a priority. Meanwhile, it’s a different story in Oz. Since the Socceroos’ spirited run in 06, we’ve been raring to go.

From my memoir: In another edition, I recall talking with a uni friend about the upcoming Socceroos’ tourney. ‘When I spoke of a possible tilt with Ghana, he posited that we’ll win. I said nothing but would’ve warned him not to take them lightly. As expected, the Ghanaians performed far better than expected.’

Reaping the rewards

According to the latest rankings, the Aussies are a top ten squad. Meanwhile, the Filipinas clock in at number 46. In a recent match, the latter had a 15-nil victory, easily the most lopsided result in their history. While only a recent participant, the national team has been around for long. They were instituted before I was even born.

Sam Kerr sprearheads our outfit. She’s been to a few World Cups and is the top goal scorer in our country’s footballing history. Recently, she was adjudged the world’s ninth most marketable sportsperson. She also has some cool goal celebrations, including some backflips.

The players had spoken out about the disparity in the prize pool. All in all, our women would only take in a quarter of their male counterparts’s earnings.

Up and away

The tourney is well under way, with Thursday’s opening ceremony. The Matildas’s kicked off the action at Stadium Australia. Captain Kerr was a late scratch due to a foot sprain. She will miss our first two tilts due to a calf injury. In front of seventy-five thousand spectators, Steph Catley converted a penalty as the Matildas beat Ireland. The Kiwis produced a shocking result as they downed Norway, one-zip.

The continued rise of the sport, both at home and beyond, speaks volumes. Ten or fifteen years ago, the Socceroos grabbed all the headlines, prize money, and the fans. Indeed, as late as 1994, the squad was known as the ‘female Socceroos’. Now, the Matildas are in the world’s biggest women’s competition. Two billion fans are expected to tune in. When it comes to team sports, the Aussie women have fared much better than their male counterparts. For instance, the Opals were perennial contenders during the Lauren Jackson era. They consistently made the finals where they were humbled by the US. However, the Boomers could only muster one bronze medal at the Olympics. Thanks to Patty Mills’s heroics, this was achieved at the last edition.

A Winning Culture

Both the Socceroos and the Boomers have won the FIBA Asia Cup. The latter bested Korea in the finale, while the Boomers outpointed Iraq. However, this is old news to the Opals, who had captured the Worlds as early as 2006.

The stars have aligned and this seems to be our best chance to claim a World Cup medal. The Matildas grew up playing in these conditions. They know the stadiums and have raucous fans. No expenses were spared in making this staging a resounding success. Just like the Wallabies, Qantas sponsors the Matildas. Global brand Nike has also tapped Kerr’s services. The Matildas have made the last few Olympics. Currently ranked number ten, we are one of the teams to beat. Wily veterans like Sam and Steph headline our squad together with younger hungry players.

In case you missed it, I learned that the Filipinas lost their match, 2-0 against the Swiss. This is still clearly a work in progress. They sit at last place in their group, which includes powerhouse Norway. They will have some teething issues and there will be setbacks. Yet if they keep their eyes on the prize, their chance will arrive. Much like the Aussies, they will capture the world’s attention.