Mary Fowler pulls out of Matildas squad over private issues

Mary Fowler has suddenly withdrawn from the Matildas squad, with personal issues emerging for the first time.

Mary Fowler has withdrawn from the Matildas with Football Australia saying the star player needs to take time away to mentally recover.

The Manchester City forward will not be with her Aussie teammates in upcoming fixtures against Brazil and Chinese Tapei and she will instead spend time with family in Australia as she recovers from mental and physical fatigue.

Football Australia announced changes to the Matildas squad for the end-of-year internationals on Thursday, but news about Fowler’s withdrawal only emerged on Sunday night.

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The 21-year-old said in the Football Australia media release she will be heading home to Australia, but won’t be in action for the four match-stretch, which begins with a blockbuster match against Brazil on Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

“Playing for the national team is something that I never take for granted,” Fowler said.

“It’s an incredible honour to represent Australia every time I put the jersey on.

“I have, however, through past experiences, come to realise that my mind and my body are also things that I should also never take for granted.

Mary Fowler showing her support for Nathan. Picture: Instagram

Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler on their European getaway

“Over the past few months, playing with an increasingly demanding schedule has been both exciting but at times also challenging.

“I love being able to play at the top level of my sport, but recognising that sometimes my mind and body also need to rest has been an invaluable lesson for me.

“Therefore, I’ve decided to take this time to prioritise recovery in order to refresh both mentally and physically, so that I can continue to put my best self forward for both club and country. I really appreciate everyone’s support and understanding, and I hope to see you all soon.”

Mary Fowler snaps Nathan Cleary with his shirt off.

Mary Fowler shares some special moments with boyfriend Nathan Cleary.

Fowler is the second player to withdraw from the camp for mental health reasons with Cortnee Vine revealing last week she would also not be playing to prioritise her own health.

Katrina Gorry and Clare Wheeler were last week medically withdrawn.

Gorry sustained a shoulder injury in West Ham’s Women’s Super League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion WFC.

Wheeler was also made unavailable due to a lower leg injury she suffered in action for Everton.

The devastating news about Fowler at least means she will be able to spend more time with NRL star partner Nathan Cleary.

The pair spent some quality time together during Cleary’s European vacation with the couple doing a photo dump following their trip.

The couple earlier this month shared photos that showed them hiking the Swiss Alps and relaxing on beaches in Europe.

New post by Mary Fowler to Instagram. Mary and Nathan Cleary on holiday together.

Mary Fowler and Nathan Cleary do their best to paint portraits of each other.

Another delightfully dorky photo showed the pair getting creative with some paint brushes together. Cleary was left looking mortified by his unique interpretation of Fowler as the pair painted pictures of each other.

Cleary will be able to spend plenty of time with Fowler in coming weeks as the Penrith Panthers halfback continues his recovery and rehabilitation program following shoulder surgery.

The surgery was delayed for four weeks with the 27-year-old taking full advantage to take an extended break with Fowler.

The expected recovery time from the surgery is around three-to-four months and there remains some doubt about whether the NSW State of Origin playmaker will be fit to play in the Panthers’ season-opener in Las Vegas.

The couple went public with their relationship in April this year, but have since admitted they began seeing each other in November, 2023.

Originally published as Mary Fowler pulls out of Matildas squad over private issues