Tony Gustavsson leaves Matildas coaching role after Olympic heartbreak

The Matildas and coach Tony Gustavsson have decided to part ways in the aftermath of their most dismal Olympic performance to date.

The Matildas and coach Tony Gustavsson have decided to part ways in the aftermath of their most dismal Olympic performance in memory.

The announcement came on the heels of the Matildas’ crushing 2-1 defeat to the USA, which sealed their fate and ended their chances of advancing to the quarterfinals.

Football Australia wasted no time in confirming that Gustavsson, whose contract was set to expire in September, would not be offered an extension.

The search for his successor is already underway, with Football Australia pledging to commence the recruitment process immediately.

While the Matildas’ next international window in October is reserved for friendlies with no tournament qualifications at stake, the focus is clearly set on rebuilding for their next challenge at the AFC Asian Cup in 2026.

Throughout the Olympics, questions loomed over Gustavsson’s strategies and the team’s preparation, which cast an ugly shadow over their campaign.

“It has been a great honour and privilege to have been able to be the head coach of the Matildas over the past four years. This journey with the team has had many incredible moments and memories that I will forever treasure,” Gustavsson said.

“Thank you to the incredible players for letting me play a small part in their stories, my staff for being beside me every step of the way, Football Australia for backing our vision for this team, the Australian football family for embracing me and the Australian public for the tremendous support.

“Australian football will be forever in my heart, and I will be watching on and cheering on your success in the future.”

The Matildas and coach Tony Gustavsson have decided to part ways in the aftermath of their most dismal Olympic performance in memory.

“Tony (Gustavsson) has been an integral part of the Matildas’ journey over the past four years, with a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the FIFA World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023. We thank him for his strong contribution, passion and commitment during that time and wish him every success for the future,” Football Australia CEO James Johnson said.

“While our Olympic Games campaign has ended, we are proud of the commitment of our players and staff. The Matildas have shown spirit and resilience throughout the qualification run and the tournament in France. This group of players have over the past four years made a significant impact on Australian football and we are looking forward to the next four-year cycle of the team.

Football Australia wasted no time in confirming that Gustavsson, whose contract was set to expire in September, would not be offered an extension.

“As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we will conduct a thorough review of the campaign as we do with all our national teams following the conclusion of tournaments and each cycle. This review will identify areas for improvement and ensure we are well-prepared for future challenges. The process for the recruitment of the Matildas head coach will also commence immediately.”

A draw against the USA would have been enough to secure passage into the knockout stages, but it wasn’t to be as they fell short in a dramatic 2-1 loss.

Socceroos great Craig Foster said the humbling campaign showed the Matildas have “some way to go”.

“Of course they are there to try and get through and get a medal and we’re very sad that they didn’t, but what the game needs to do is always keep an eye on the way they’re playing,” Foster said on Stan Sport.

“And the level at which they are playing at against the best teams in the world, now the beautiful thing about these Olympic Games is that we played against two very top teams and they showed us that we’ve still got some way to go.

“That’s the most important lesson for us from here.”

More to come.

Originally published as Tony Gustavsson leaves Matildas coaching role after Olympic heartbreak