Wanderers star Sophie Harding’s biggest motivator in pursuit of Matildas call-up

Sophie Harding got a taste of life as a Matilda when she got a surprise call-up for their Olympic qualifying camp. Drawing on her experiences there, and inspiration from her personal life, she is determined to reach the next level.

Sophie Harding is chasing a Matildas call-up. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

When Sophie Harding got her unexpected call-up to the Matildas Olympic qualifiers camp the person she wanted to tell first wasn’t there to hear it.

But Harding just knew he would be jumping for joy for her.

Harding’s father Nick, her No. 1 supporter, died in July 2021 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

“He’s not here to see it but I’ve got to remember that I’m where I am because of him,” Harding said.

“He’s been my motivating factor for the last few years and I think it’s easy to pick on things like that I didn’t get to play and you get so in your own head but then it’s so important to look back at how far you’ve come and what you have accomplished.

“I try to use him as a bit of a reminder to do that sometimes.”

Harding, 24, was plucked from the Western Sydney Wanderers to join the Matildas camp for the two-game Olympic qualifier series with Uzbekistan, when fellow A-League player Cortnee Vine withdrew due to personal reasons.

It had been unexpected for Harding, who was in the middle of a 10-hour shift as a disability support worker when she got the news from assistant coach Mel Andreatta.

The camp

The next few weeks were a whirlwind for the striker. First to Doha for a week-long camp, then to Tashkent for the first clash with Uzbekistan and back to Australia for the final game of the series.

With coach Tony Gustavsson able to have just 22 players on the team sheet, Harding missed out on a chance to make her debut for the Matildas.

While Harding would have obviously loved to have got a chance on the field she is incredibly grateful for the opportunity.

“It was a really good experience,” Harding said.

“I got to play with some of the top players. It was really cool to travel there and have all the resources that they have and coming back I definitely felt a sense of motivation to keep pushing myself forward.

“Now I know where the benchmark is and I’m working on little things behind the scenes to make sure I get more possibilities.”

It has given Harding a new focus. Getting back in the national team camp has almost become an obsession – a driving force Harding struggles to put to the back of her mind.

“I’m so hungry,” Harding said. “I’ve never felt this way in regards to football before. I can’t think of anything else, which is a bit of a blessing and a curse.

“I think my teammates and my coaches know how passionate I am and but I’ve just been very focused at the moment on trying to do what I can to get back there.”

But the Matildas aren’t just a team you can waltz back into. Take Michelle Heyman – it took her six years to work her way back into the side.

Even Alex Chidiac, who was part of the World Cup team has struggled to earn her spot back.

Working against Harding is the fact coach Tony Gustavsson can only take 18 players to the Olympics. With so much riding on coming home with a medal even regular starters and game changers face missing out on a ticket to Paris.

Harding is under no illusions that her chances of playing at these Games are slim – but she hasn’t ruled out the next Olympics or even the Asian Cup or 2027 World Cup.

“I will be putting my best foot forward and doing everything I can to make that squad,” Harding said.

“It’s been a dream of mine to go to the Olympics but I also think that for me there’s other long term focuses that I’m aiming towards.”

Sophie Harding in action for the Wanderers. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Surreal

Harding said the entire experience, from learning from Gustavsson to playing alongside her idols, was surreal.

“I was at all the games for the World Cup watching, many of my friends were saying to me, I can’t believe you’re there with them,” Harding said.

“It was a bit of a pinch me moment going there. I know some of the girls from playing with them or against them in the A-League but there’s a few people in that team, the ones playing in England with some of the biggest clubs in the world and all around Europe, that I definitely look up to and aspire to go to the level they have.”

Harding, who at 24 hadn’t even been part of a junior or young Matildas camp, said it was something she had almost crossed off her bucket list.

But seeing players who Harding had come up against in the A-League like Clare Polkinghorne and Michelle Heyman playing at international level at the age of 35 gave her new hope.

“It has given me motivation because there were times in my career when I was like ‘Oh I’m 24, I don’t know if I’m going to make it.’

“I’m just going to keep working and surround myself with players like them and hopefully get further with it.”

The lessons

Harding soaked up every tiny detail she could like a sponge during the camp – her biggest takeaway though was learning what she needs to work on as an individual to take her game to the next level.

“I definitely would like to build my career overseas and play in one of the more established leagues around the world,” Harding said.

“I’ve played for years now in the A-League, which has been amazing but I’d like to travel and play overseas. I think this has motivated me to take my game to the next level and keep improving every day and trying to better myself each day.”

Sophie Harding has been on fire for Western Sydney this season. Picture: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images

The A-League

One of the biggest hurdles preventing Harding from taking her game to the next level at the moment is the part-time nature of the A-League Women’s competition.

Players are given nine-month contracts – meaning the majority of players, including Harding, have to juggle their football career with another job.

Some players work at fast food outlets, others at gyms, recovery centres, take on roles within the club, work as teachers or like Harding – as support workers.

If Harding was contracted to an overseas club she would be paid year round and have access to a full pre-season and off-season and be able to fully commit to her football career.

“We train at like six in the morning. I wake up at 5am and sometimes my day doesn’t end until 8 or 9 o’clock at night because I work after training,” Harding said.

“I’ve been able to get into a Matildas camp while balancing 30-35 hours working week and football. It would be good to see how much I could improve if I could fully commit myself to training and get adequate rest and recovery.

“Ultimately that is what is going to improve the quality of the league.

“I think having a salary all year around would be a good step and offer some sort of stability. “We don’t have to go to work for eight or ten hour shifts or other jobs to make ends meet.”

Wanderers are sitting in sixth place on the ladder – just three points clear of Newcastle Jets and a win off the pace from Melbourne Victory.

Harding was back in action for the Wanderers at the weekend after missing a round with an ankle injury – she is clearly back in top form netting the match winner in the 1-0 win over Perth.

Western Sydney Wanderers play Western United on Saturday at 5pm.

Originally published as Wanderers star Sophie Harding’s biggest motivator in pursuit of Matildas call-up