CommBank Matildas striker Michelle Heyman spoke to Football Australia Media as she touched down for her second camp after returning to the national team this year.
“It means the world to me [to be back] and it’s just so nice to be back in this environment, doing what I love,” she began.
Heyman has had an incredible start to 2024. She became the first woman to score 100 goals in the A-League Women in January. Her form saw her recalled to the CommBank Matildas for the Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024 qualifiers against Uzbekistan, where she scored four goals across the two legs.
The 35-year-old proceeded to equal Sam Kerr’s record for most goals in an A-League Women’s season with 17, break the record for the most goal involvements across a season, and win the Golden Boot domestically.
“My life now, ever since Melbourne, has been a different world,” she explained.
“The support that I get from fans and the amount of people coming out to every game to cheer on [club team] Canberra United has just been wild. To hear so many little kids screaming out ‘Heyman, Heyman!’ – it’s really, really sweet. It just brings so much joy.”
Heyman debuted for the national team in 2010. She has seen countless changes within the set-up since that time, and indeed since her last spell in the team in 2019.
“I’ve never been in such a professional environment,” she said.
“To be treated so well, like a professional athlete, to be able to be so successful in a training camp – it just allows you to be the best person you can be.”
On the pitch, as well, things have changed. The game is quicker, faster, stronger, particularly at international level.
“That’s one thing I missed about international football was how quick it is,” she continued. “So getting back into this environment is definitely a real big positive thing for myself because I love that quick football play… it just really suits my style.”
Before the games against Uzbekistan, Heyman said that she had extensive conversations with head coach Tony Gustavsson about her role in the team. She said that having that clarity made her job easy – it was just about executing on the pitch, something she had a body of evidence that she was capable of.
She was asked about her goals for this period of her international career.
“I want to enjoy every minute,” she answered. “You never know how long your career can go for. So for myself, it’s making sure that I’m being the best footballer I can be and making sure that I’m putting in 110% every single training.
“I want to show myself that I’m capable of being here, and I just want to experience this incredible environment. To be part of the Matildas again.
“My goal is the Olympics. Of course, I’m going to be pushing for that squad. I’m going to do everything that I can to get into that team. But right now, my main focus is on this camp and making sure that I’m physically fit and ready to go against Mexico.”
Watching the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ from afar was something that fuelled Heyman as she entered this A-League Women’s season. She had seen the stunning success of her former teammates, and knew that she still had it in her to compete with the best of them.
That fire was one of the many things that springboarded her back into the CommBank Matildas.
“The key is self-belief, and having confidence,” she explained. “I knew I can score goals, but as soon as I got that call back up into the Matildas, it gave me a little bit extra.”
“In training, the girls were saying you’re just going up another gear at the moment. I’m happy. I just knew that this hard work has paid off, and it’s allowing me to get back into the national team, and to be able to show myself that I can still do this.”
As an experienced player, she has used that belief and confidence to help inspire the next generation – not just off the pitch, but her teammates as well.
“I’ve loved every minute of the A-League, being able to play for Canberra, and being able to be that national team player and bringing it back into the A-League to show the rest of the team – this is where you need to be at to be in the national team,” she said.
“It helps them because they see the hard work that I am doing on the side so they can push themselves to hopefully one day be here.”
MATCH DETAILS | APRIL 2024 FIFA WINDOW
Mexico v Australia
Date: Tuesday, 9 April 2024 (local) / Wed, 10 April 2024 (AUS)
Kick-off: 7.00pm (local) / 10.00am (AEST)
Venue: Toyota Field, San Antonio, TX
Broadcast: Paramount ANZ
Tickets: ticketmaster.com