The making of Cortnee Vine, Matildas’ lightning-quick World Cup penalty shootout hero

Just a few years ago, Cortnee Vine was far from the confident Matildas star who just stepped up and owned an incredible World Cup moment. ADAM PEACOCK speaks with insiders about her heady rise.

Matildas winger Cortnee Vine is one of the fastest players at the 2023 World Cup and struck home an instantly-iconic penalty for Austalia against France. Picture: Chris Hyde - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

Nineteen penalty takers had come and gone, transporting us all into an alternate reality of hypertension.

Then, up stepped Cortnee Vine.

In that manic World Cup shootout against France, she was the No.10 taker for Australia. Not only far from first choice but 10th of 11, for goodness sake.

And it was all on her.

As Vine stood over the ball, one man watching from afar realised before the rest of us what was about to happen.

“When I saw her face, I knew she was OK,” Vine’s Sydney FC coach Ante Juric tells CODE Sports.

“She wasn’t missing that.”

Cortnee Vine scores her winning penalty for the Matildas in their World Cup quarter-final against France. Picture: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

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Instant celebrity is now with Vine, much like in 2005 with John Aloisi; who until that point was just another talented player, well-known to the football community but far from a household name.

Before the slow walk to take Saturday’s defining penalty, Vine’s path began as a naturally-gifted athlete, quicker than all the rest.

With elite football, it started in the A-League Women’s with Brisbane, then Newcastle, Western Sydney, and Sydney FC in 2020.

“When she came to us, she wasn’t confident,” Juric says.

“Even a year and a half in, playing regularly, when she made a mistake or I was tough on her, she’d go into her shell.

“As a staff and club, we helped her out of it and she’s just grown and grown over the last few years.”

The aftermath of Cortnee Vine’s penalty. Instantly iconic. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Juric was at his brother’s house in Sydney on Saturday night, gathered with loved ones, brought together by this incredible moment in time.

When Vine stood over her penalty, his mind wandered.

“I’ve seen that picture a million times at training now,” Juric says.

“She put in so much work. Side foot in the corner, side foot in the corner. It was so rewarding for her because of the work she’s put in.”

A few minutes after leaving the pitch in Brisbane on Saturday, Vine herself reflected on those anonymous days on the training pitch.

“It does help in those moments to think you’ve done it so many times, and you’ve hit that spot so many times,” Vine told reporters.

“I know there’s so many people watching and there’s a lot of pressure, but it’s just being in that moment.”

Cortnee Vine is now the owner of Australia’s most famous penalty strike. Picture: Chris Hyde – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

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Slowing down thoughts doesn’t come naturally to Vine, whose great asset is speed.

“How quick? FAST!” her personal trainer, Luke Edgell of Edge Performance, tells CODE Sports.

“I can’t think of anyone who would beat her over 30 metres. Absolutely lightning.”

Yet knowing that pace wouldn’t be enough to make it to the elite level, Vine sought improvement in every facet.

“To work with her, she’s always had that growth mindset, hard-working, asks good questions and is always intrigued into ‘why’ she is doing and how it will compliment her on the field,” Edgell says.

“Can never fault her in wanting to be better.”

Cortnee Vine takes off on a dribble for Sydney FC in this year’s A-League Women's grand final win over Western United. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

All those hours in the gym, searching for that extra 0.1 per cent, not only built physical improvement but expunged doubt. Like Juric, Edgell’s mind was at ease as Vine approached her penalty.

“When she walked up, I thought, ‘This is perfect for Cortnee’,” Edgell says.

“It’s going to show us that she is that person who can step up. And she did.”

Even though Vine is 25, middle-aged in football terms, both Edgell and Juric believe there is so much more to come.

“What she does with Sydney, 75 per cent of the time where she just destroys people, that hasn’t been replicated with the Matildas yet but it is a step up,” says Juric, who is not certain that Vine will be at the Sky Blues next season with overseas options available.

“Once she does that with the Matildas, that’s the upside.

“When she plays with complete freedom, like Caitlin Foord, just dribbles and goes nuts, Viney has got that in her.”

Cortnee Vine chases down England star Lucy Bronze in their clash earlier this year, won by the Matildas. The old enemy awaits in the World Cup semi-finals. Picture: Richard Sellers/Soccrates/Getty Images

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It remains to be seen what the heroism of scoring the last penalty of an unforgettable shootout means for Cortnee Vine’s life.

A car would be nice, for starters.

In April, while away with the Matildas, Vine parked her car out the front of where she lives with partner Charlotte in suburban Sydney.

The old Kia got sideswiped and written off.

Vine has gone without wheels since.

But don’t expect Vine to take to her socials pleading for help. “Hi, I’m Australia’s fastest footballer, I would love a fast car, any car for that matter…”

That’s not her.

Vine is selfless, as seen in how she’s dealt with her demotion from the starting side during this World Cup.

The flyer had been a first-choice for the Matildas, starting in 10 of the last 11 games leading into the tournament. But after starting against Ireland and Nigeria, she was benched for the cutthroat Canada game and has since been limited to late cameos.

Hurt ego? What ego.

“Hopefully I can come on and do something if I get the opportunity,” Vine said last week.

After all those hours in the gym and on the training pitch, learning, growing and getting better, Vine was ready for that opportunity.

More than ready.

Originally published as The making of Cortnee Vine, Matildas’ lightning-quick World Cup penalty shootout hero