2 weeks Ago By Renee Valentine
Football legend Cheryl Salisbury could not have been happier to see Emily van Egmond equal her Matildas' appearance mark on Sunday night. Login or signup to continue reading The Lambton Jaffas junior turned Australian captain, women's sporting trailblazer and one of the world's greatest players retired in January 2009 after a record 151 appearances for her country. Van Egmond, also from Newcastle, had been poised to make her Matildas debut in Salisbury's final international match as a fresh-faced 15-year-old only to be sidelined by an ankle injury.
"She was meant to play at my retirement game and broke her ankle at training, so we never actually got to play a Matildas game together, which is sad," Salisbury told the Newcastle Herald on Monday. "That's probably the saddest thing, that I wish we could've been on the field together. I would've loved that photo to look back on, of her debut game and my retirement would've been pretty special today.
" Salisbury and van Egmond did play together at the Newcastle Jets in the first W-League season of 2008-09. As one was bringing to a close a remarkable career , including four World Cup appearances, two Olympics and twice being named in the FIFA Women's World XI squad, the other was just getting started. "She was 14 when she came into the W-League, as it was back then, and being the older person of the team, the mother hen of the team, I definitely took her under my wing and looked after her and tried to help her out," Salisbury said.
"So, as I retired and she came into her own as a first-pick Matilda, it was like watching my little sister or my niece grow, because I'd seen her develop. "Her ability on the ball and her knowledge of the game far outweighed her age in years. You had to keep reminding yourself that she was only 14.
"She's definitely somebody that I've watched throughout her career and thought back to those times when she was little." Van Egmond, 31, became the fourth player in history to reach 150 games for the Matildas in a 3-1 loss to Brazil in Brisbane last Thursday night. The Dudley Redhead United Football Club junior and San Diego Wave midfielder then moved level with Salisbury on 151 appearances as Australia lost 2-1 to Brazil on the Gold Coast on Sunday night.
Only retiring Clare Polkinghorne has played more games for the Matildas with 168 outings. The 35-year-old defender passed Salisbury's mark in February 2023. "It's definitely nice," Salisbury said of seeing van Egmond join her as the second-most capped player of all time.
"When Clare Polkinghorne overtook me, it was like 'Yes, it's another defender', and Clare's the same, she was just a kid. Then Lisa De Vanna got to 150. I would've loved to have seen her take it as well because she lived with me as a 14-year-old so I was pretty much her mother.
"They're people who it's just like, 'Look at them now'. They've grown and they've got people looking up to them in the same way they looked up to me and it's just that progression of growth and maturity of them." Van Egmond, who finally got her Matildas debut in January 2010 and has gone on to play at three Olympics and four World Cups, paid homage to Salisbury after Australia's 2-1 loss to Brazil on Sunday night.
"Chez is an absolute legend of the game, and to hit 150 is something that I'm really proud of," van Egmond said. "To be able to share it with these amazing girls and some of the staff that I've been able to play for for many years, it's special, and I'm just grateful to have been able to have had the opportunity to do so." Brazil led 2-1 at half-time on Sunday night after a wonder strike by midfielder Gabi Portilho and a tap-in at the far post by defender Lauren.
Hayley Raso responded late in the half to give the hosts a sniff after a world-class cross by Caitlin Foord. "Brazil's a quality side," van Egmond said post-match. "We saw in the first game they were really physical, and again tonight.
Unfortunately, they got the better of us on set pieces and it's something we have to get better at. "But, towards the end I thought the girls put in a great shift and were probably unlucky not to come away with an equaliser." The Matildas played in front of a sold-out crowd on home soil for the 16 th consecutive time.
Average home-crowd support this year is set to exceed 45,000, compared to 41,783 last year and 2139 in 2015. "Everyone's played a part from the very first Matildas team to now and we're so fortunate to reap the benefits of everyone coming out here and supporting the Matildas," van Egmond said. "We just love coming home and being able to play in front of all of our loyal fans.
" Renee Valentine is a sports journalist with more than 20 years of experience in Newcastle. She is passionate about increasing the visibility of sportswomen in the media. Got a sports story, email Renee at r.
[email protected] Renee Valentine is a sports journalist with more than 20 years of experience in Newcastle.
She is passionate about increasing the visibility of sportswomen in the media. Got a sports story, email Renee at r.valentine@newcastleherald.
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