Matildas keeper Mackenzie Arnold primed to ‘keep fighting’ to hold on to Australian No.1 jersey

No tournaments and no coach - to some it is a time to ease off - but with a battle on for the No.1 jersey Mackenzie Arnold doesn’t have that luxury.

With nothing on the line and no coach appointed for the Matildas, some might be tempted to switch off.

However, goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold knows if she does that her spot in the squad could be snatched away.

Despite the national side’s recent run of home games being in the rearview mirror, Arnold said taking her eye off the ball was too risky, especially with fellow goalkeeper Teagan Micah in top form.

“I think having what we would call a down year, a lot of players could take that as a chance to switch off,” said Arnold, who has this week launched a petition to have Milo included as a question on the Australian Citizenship Test.

Mackenzie Arnold won’t risk ‘switching off’ with competition hot on her heels. Picture: Getty Images

“But I think heading into the Asian Cup, it’s going to be a massive thing for us to get a result out of that considering what happened at the Olympics.

“I’ve always said, ever since I got the starting spot, that I’ll just take each game as it comes.

“I’ll never be complacent, I’ll always keep fighting for that spot.

“You are only as good as your last game, I know that. I just have to keep trying to perform and hopefully keep my spot.”

Arnold said there was no tiptoeing around the fact that not having a coach and no immediate competitive match on the horizon had created a strange vibe in camp.

“We know we didn’t perform to our best at the Olympics,” Arnold said.

“We can’t really take any camps for granted or even take our foot off the gas a little bit.

“A good handful of us made our debut under (Tom Sermanni), we’re pretty used to him and the kind of person he is, which helps.

Australia's goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold saves a shot on goal against China, Picture: AFP

“It was a little bit weird losing a lot of the girls for the second half of the camp but it gave us a chance to see the young ones coming through.

“I think it was a successful camp and one we needed.”

Football Australia has not confirmed whether Sermanni will be at the helm for the next international window in February, when the Matildas will play in the She Believes Cup in the US.

“We’re going to take every tournament as a serious one,” Arnold said.

“It really makes no difference for us. Either way, we still need to be training and working hard.

“The style of play will change if we get a new coach but that’s something we can’t really control. It is in FA’s hands. Whenever happens it happens.

“Potentially we will be going into the She Believes Cup with Tommy and that’s what we need to focus on and what we are concentrating on right now.”

Matildas' goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold has launched a petition to have Milo included as a question on the Australian Citizenship Test. Photo: Scott Ehler

Arnold won’t have to travel far for the next international window. She will back in the US in pre-season with new club the Portland Thorns.

She joined the side mid-season this year following the Olympics.

“It was a big change from the WSL,” Arnold said.

“It is a very different style of football but it was a challenge that I needed to take, a step that I needed to take in my career to step out of my comfort zone and try something new, which I’m proud of myself for doing.”

Arnold said coming in mid-season to an established side added to the challenge.

“The team already had their culture and their style of play and to try and pick up where they left off was pretty hard,” she said.

“But I’m looking forward to going back and getting a whole pre-season under my belt.”

Mackenzie Arnold takes a selfie with a fan after the win against Chinese Taipei in Geelong. Picture: Getty Images

Arnold is still coming to terms with her new-found fame since she saved a penalty that kept Australia in the shootout against France at the 2023 World Cup.

As part of the recent camp, the Matildas held an open training session at QSAC. There were plenty of purple keeper jerseys in the stands and fans calling out for Arnold’s signature.

“It blows my mind every single time,” she said.

“When I walked out at Suncorp (Stadium) on the field with Alanna Kennedy before the game and I looked at her I said, ‘Not to be lame but how cool is it to see so many purple jerseys in the crowd’.

“I’m super grateful for it and I hold it close to my heart.”