Goalkeeper and ‘Minister of Defence’ Mackenzie Arnold expressed the need to focus on one step at a time as the CommBank Matildas continue their preparation for the Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024 in the April international window.
“It’s been quite a nice time to have about six or seven days without a game interrupting,” she said of the window, in which there is only one game against Mexico.
“We’re [the goalkeepers] trying to work on a little bit more of playing out from the back, using our feet a lot more… definitely learning a lot of new things and it’s been good.”
She said that she hasn’t thought ahead to the Olympics too much, as she focuses on the here and now.
“To be honest, I don’t like thinking too far ahead,” the 30-year-old admitted. “If I think about my approach to the World Cup, I took one game at a time and I feel like that really helped me mentally for when the tournament came around.”
“I don’t think anyone wants to look too far ahead. We just want to take one game at a time and focus on our preparation.”
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ was a breakout tournament for Arnold. After years of toiling as a second or third-choice goalkeeper, she got her opportunity at the Cup of Nations in February 2023 and never looked back.
The typically relaxed Queenslander said that she didn’t think too much about her year, which included being nominated in the top three goalkeepers of the year by FIFA.
“If I look back and really reflect, I feel like I’ve come a really long way, even before the World Cup,” she explained. “My mental aspect and my confidence and everything, and just the way I play now, I just feel a lot more comfortable. So in that aspect, it’s something that I’m very proud of.”
Just like that of her teammates, her profile has risen significantly in the past 12 months. Now more than ever – especially after going public about her journey to acquiring a hearing aid – she is seen as a role model, not just for children but for adults as well.
“When I was growing up, I didn’t really have anyone such as a role model, especially in something that I was aspiring to be,” she reflected. “Now to feel like people look up to me and want to be me in a sense, or want to be in the position I’m in, it’s definitely different, something I’m still getting used to.
“But it’s also so rewarding, and I feel like the way that my hearing has come about and the way that I’ve unexpectedly become a role model to many people that have hearing loss, and to feel that I’m that person to them that my brother was to me is probably the most rewarding thing about it.
“I know that I couldn’t have gone through this journey without him, so to be that person for other people is very special and very rewarding, and I hope I can continue down that path.”
She also recently announced a series of children’s books written to continue to inspire the next generation to follow their dreams.
“I’m not the best person with my words or speaking in public or anything like that, so I feel that putting it all down on paper and just turning it into a fun, laid back kind of way, and just being able to relate to kids in that way, I feel like that was probably my most natural approach,” she explained.
“It all just fell together. It felt like it was really natural to me, and I really enjoyed doing it.”
Looking ahead to the game against Mexico, she believes the contest will only be beneficial for the team.
“I don’t know if we’ve really faced many teams that are similar to how they play, but I think they’re going to replicate a lot of what the opponent’s going to bring us when we go to the Olympics,” she explained.
“So it’s going to be really helpful in that aspect, but we’re really looking forward to it. It will be a new challenge and it’ll be a big opportunity for us to start working on the way that we want to play.”
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