Westfield Matildas midfielder Emily van Egmond has two goals for the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup in France: produce winning performances and inspire the next wave of young women dreaming of wearing the green and gold.
The 25-year-old, who now has 85 caps to her name, made her international debut against DPR Korea back in 2010 as a teenager and says that her subsequent failure to make the final squad for the 2010 AFC Women’s Asian Cup was a defining moment in her burgeoning career.
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“It just made me hungry to want to be in the team even more," Van Egmond told matildas.com.au. "Training harder and just wanting to be a Westfield Matilda.”
It’s that attitude and work ethic that has made her a role model for future generations of Westfield Matildas, something of which the Newcastle-born midfielder is very much aware.
“[My goal is] to win a World Cup and inspire the next generation of future Matildas,” she said.
“To pave a way for the younger generation, I think that’s super important. [I’m] just a hard worker and someone who always enjoys playing football with a smile on her face.”
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