Matildas seek first trophy under Montemurro's 'proactive' style at 2026 Asian Cup

The Matildas walk into the 2026 Women's Asian Cup as a team in transition. The faces are mostly familiar—Sam Kerr still leads the line, Steph Catley still anchors the defense, Ellie Carpenter still owns the right flank. But the way they play, the philosophy that drives them, the tactical language they speak: all of it has changed. Joe Montemurro arrived less than a year ago to reshape Australian football, and on Sunday against the Philippines, the world will see how far his vision has taken root.

It has been three years since the Matildas captured the nation's heart at the 2023 World Cup, a run that transformed women's football in Australia from niche interest to genuine cultural moment. Yet despite that explosion of growth, despite the unprecedented visibility and investment, the modern Matildas have never won a trophy. The 2026 Asian Cup represents something close to a last call for this generation. They are ranked third in Asia. The competition will be fierce. But the opportunity is undeniable.

Montemurro's arrival came after ten months of drift. Tony Gustavsson departed, and Football Australia took its time finding a replacement. Tom Sermanni, the interim manager, kept the ship steady, but players grew restless in the uncertainty. When Montemurro was finally named—a Melbourne-born coach who had managed Lyon, Arsenal, and Juventus—it felt like a genuine coup. He brought with him a philosophy built on fluidity, creativity, and control. The Matildas would press high and aggressively when defending. They would dictate play when they had the ball. They would give their forwards permission to roam and create. "We're going to be proactive," Montemurro said. "We want to be able to dictate what we do when we have the ball, but also control the opposition team when they have the ball." It is a style few Australian national teams have attempted, and the adjustment has been real. Australia hasn't played since December. The two-match series against New Zealand late last year offered green shoots—a 7-0 aggregate victory with the team playing a fluid 4-3-3, midfielders recycling possession, forwards given license to roam. But tournament football is different. How far the players have truly internalized Montemurro's way remains an open question.

The squad itself is seasoned. Kerr, now 31, is the only remaining player from Australia's 2010 Asian Cup triumph—the last time the Matildas won this competition. Catley brings 141 caps and the ability to play either left-back or centre-back, a flexibility Montemurro may well exploit. Carpenter is the undisputed right-back. Hayley Raso and Caitlin Foord will likely form the wide attacking roles, both tireless runners capable of delivering in the final third. Mackenzie Arnold, the penalty shootout hero from the 2023 World Cup, will start in goal after Teagan Micah's late withdrawal. The squad is experienced almost to a fault: only one uncapped player (goalkeeper Jada Whyman) and just four players with fewer than ten international appearances.

But the most intriguing question mark surrounds Mary Fowler. Last April, the 23-year-old ruptured her ACL—an injury that typically demands a year to recover from. Yet Fowler raced the clock and won. She returned to Manchester City three weeks ago and started a match for the first time in 315 days just last Sunday, playing 63 minutes in an FA Cup game. Her talent has never been in doubt. Since debuting at 15 in 2018, she has shown flashes of genuine brilliance, though previous managers have struggled to consistently unlock her potential. Montemurro has not yet fielded a team with Fowler in it, so her role in the tournament remains fluid. "Mary could feature from the start, Mary could come on in the last 20 minutes," Montemurro said. "We'll just assess each game as it goes." It seems unlikely she will start against the Philippines, but her presence on the bench—a world-class option waiting—changes the tactical calculus entirely.

The midfield will likely anchor on Kyra Cooney-Cross, a silky creative force who has cemented herself as one of the Matildas' key players. But Cooney-Cross has endured an incredibly difficult few months. She returned to Australia in January after her mother was diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of cancer. Her teammates rallied around her, but she hasn't played club football since December. Whether she will be match-fit for Sunday remains unclear. Behind her, Katrina Gorry and Clare Wheeler are the frontrunners to provide the heavy lifting in midfield, both comfortable in tight spaces and full of running. Alanna Kennedy, a centre-back by trade, could also slot into the deepest midfield role as a destroyer.

The defence itself holds one major question: where will Catley play? For years she was Australia's left-back, but she has shifted centrally in recent seasons and found great success at centre-back for Arsenal. If Montemurro deploys her there, Courtney Nevin or Kaitlyn Torpey would likely take the left-back role. Clare Hunt from Tottenham will probably anchor the centre, with Kennedy or Winonah Heatley as her partner. Carpenter's right-back position is beyond debate.

What makes this Matildas squad genuinely dangerous is the depth in attacking areas. Michelle Heyman, 37 and one of Australian football's true greats, waits on the bench. Holly McNamara, 23 and leading the A-League scoring charts, offers genuine striking potential after overcoming significant injuries. Amy Sayer can add creativity in the space between midfield and attack. Rookie Kahli Johnson provides a wing option. This is a team that can change shape, change tempo, change personnel without losing quality. Montemurro has the tools to adapt. The question now is whether his players have had enough time to truly understand his vision—and whether they can execute it when it matters most.