Matildas star Mary Fowler reveals ‘silly’ reason she wears gloves during the World Cup

Mary Fowler has become known for more than her incredible football skills — also drawing attention for a now-signature accessory.

If there’s a silver lining to draw from the absence of superstar Sam Kerr from the Matildas’ FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign so far, it’s that we’ve proven we have a team full of stars.

And one of them, undoubtedly, is young gun Mary Fowler.

The 20-year-old forward, who has long been considered the heir apparent to Kerr, proved her presence when she returned to the pitch – and scored – in the Tillies’ 4-0 win over Canada, after she missed the team’s 3-2 loss to Nigeria with a concussion a week earlier.

And tonight she will no doubt be a critical piece of the puzzle in the women’s sudden death round-of-16 clash with Denmark at Stadium Australia.

Mary Fowler has emerged as a key piece of the Matildas’ puzzle at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images.

But Fowler has become known for more than just her impressive football skills, she has also drawn attention for a unique accessory she has donned throughout the campaign: a pair of black gloves.

The gloves are not unlike a pair you would expect to see on a mime artist, at the snow fields, or on the hands of a parent shivering through their kid’s brutally cold morning soccer match.

We saw them on Fowler’s hands in the Tillies’ pre-tournament friendly against France. We saw them again in the Republic of Ireland tournament opener. And we saw them a third time in our do-or-die trouncing of Canada.

Did she wear them in the name of fashion? Or for extra grip in a throw-in? For balance? So new fans could pick her in the field? Or were they just to keep the Queenslander’s hands warm in the southeastern states’ colder winter nights?

After weeks of speculation, Fowler has finally revealed exactly why she wears her now-iconic black gloves, saying the reasons were “a bit silly”.

“I haven’t told anyone yet what it was, but it’s a bit silly,” Fowler told Optus Sport.

“I honestly just like gloves because I get really fidgety. So usually I train with a ring on but if it’s cold I wear gloves and I can’t wear a ring in a match so I usually wear gloves.

“I just move them around a lot.”

She knocked back a suggestion by goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer that it was because the star forward had secret aspirations of being a keeper.

Fowler says she wears the gloves for “silly” reasons. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

Fowler says she wears gloves for a number of reasons. Picture: Mark Stewart

In an earlier interview with The Australian, Fowler explained she began wearing gloves when she started playing with Manchester City in 2022 to withstand training and playing in the cold.

She got her professional start playing for Adelaide United in 2019 and had a brief stint at France’s Montpellier HSC before transferring to Man City.

Fowler is the youngest member of the Australian squad; but this is her second World Cup campaign with the Matildas, after her debut in France four years ago aged 16.

Although she did not take the field in the green and gold then, she has been a critical part of the 2023 campaign – especially with striker and captain Sam Kerr out with a calf injury.

After coming on for a solid performance against the Republic of Ireland, Fowler missed Australia’s 3-2 loss to Nigeria in game two due concussion she sustained at training two days prior.

Fowler has proven herself to be a critical piece in the Matilda’ World Cup puzzle. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

But she returned with a bang in the Matildas’ do-or-die match against Canada last week —scoring her first World Cup goal in the team’s 4-0 win.

Many Aussie soccer fans argued she should have two goals after an earlier attempt was cruelly denied via VAR.

MARY FOWLER GETS HER GOAL!!!

She’s had one ruled out but they won’t rule this one off.

Australia in dreamland 😍🇦🇺

Watch LIVE | https://t.co/zkrZdKDkdA#FIFAWWC#OptusSportpic.twitter.com/Auh871ZV78

— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) July 31, 2023

Fowler is almost certain to be in Tony Gustavsson’s starting XI against Denmark in the round of 16 clash tonight at Stadium Australia. If they win, the side will move through to the quarter-finals. If they lose, it’s game over.

The two teams have previously faced off in a friendly in October 2022, with the Matildas winning 3-1.

But the Matildas will be wary of the threat posed by a side that pushed European champions England hard in a 1-0 group stage loss.

Fowler has long been considered the heir apparent to Matildas captain and Chelsea star Sam Kerr (L), who has been sidelined throughout the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 with a calf injury. Picture: William West/AFP.

But even with the weight of a nation on her shoulders, and big Kerr-sized boots to fill, young Fowler says she is taking each game as it comes.

She told Optus Sport she knows and has seen that anything can happen during a World Cup.

“All the teams that are left in the tournament, they’ve earned their spot there and I think we can’t underestimate any team,” she said.

“We just have to focus on getting ourselves right, which is what I think we’ve done well so far.

“I don’t know if I’m just chill about that, but that’s how I prefer to do it.”

Coverage of Australia’s next game against the Danish squad begins at 7.30pm (AEST) on Monday.

Originally published as Matildas star Mary Fowler reveals ‘silly’ reason she wears gloves during the World Cup