By Roy Ward
Matildas World Cup hero Cortnee Vine is stepping back from soccer to focus on her mental health.
The 26-year-old rocketed to stardom during the team’s FIFA Women’s World Cup run in Australia last year, scoring the winning penalty in the team’s quarter-final win over France in Brisbane.
Cortnee Vine playing for the Matildas against China in June.Credit: Getty Images
Originally from Shepparton, Vine left Sydney FC in June after a four-year stint with the club to take up a deal in the US and play at Paris 2024. But she was not available for selection for the Matildas in the most recent international window as she prioritised her mental health.
She also took time away from the team for the Olympic qualifiers in February for personal reasons, but returned to the team for Paris.
Vine’s management, ESE Management, released a statement on her behalf on Friday, soon after the latest Matildas squad was named for the upcoming games this month and in December.
“I’m sure many people can appreciate that my life has changed dramatically over the past two years,” Vine said in the statement.
“Due to these very new and sometimes overwhelming experiences, I’ve discovered that identifying, managing and prioritising my mental health has become something I have needed to work very hard on.
“Like many who face mental health challenges, I have my good days and my difficult ones, but every day is a lesson in learning to find the right balance.
“For now, I need to focus on taking care of myself, which is why I’m taking some time off.
“I truly appreciate everyone’s support and concern, and I’m confident I’ll return stronger than ever.”
Vine moved to National Women’s Soccer League club North Carolina Courage in June after her stint with Sydney FC and she played in five games late in the season scoring one goal.
Vine’s long-time teammate and partner, Charlotte McLean, also made the same move to the Courage.
The Courage were knocked out of the NWSL play-offs by the Kansas City Current on Monday (AEDT), with Vine coming off the bench in the second half.
Interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni said on Friday, before Vine’s statement, that she was in communication with him but was not available for selection.
“Cortnee has chosen, at this stage, not to be considered to be selected,” Sermanni said.
“We’ve had a chat before the last window and had a chat within the last week. She’s good but just not available for these upcoming games.”
Sermanni named a 36-player squad for the upcoming friendlies, in which the Matildas face a rare block of four home internationals including Brazil twice in Brisbane and Gold Coast on November 28 and December 1, and then Taiwan at AAMI Park on December 4 and Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium on December 7.
Superstar striker Sam Kerr is still recovering from her knee reconstruction but the majority of the team’s European and US-based stars will play in at least a couple of the matches.
The big question facing Sermanni now is just who plays in what games.
It’s likely the majority of the leading stars will face Brazil and then head back overseas, which could mean Victorian audiences get to see the younger talent. Sermanni said the 36 players at his disposal wouldn’t all be together in camp at once.
Sermanni remains as the interim coach on an unspecified term, and he again made it clear he was coaching the side as if he “has a four or five-year contract”. But he will hand over the reins when Football Australia settles on a permanent coach.
Sermanni hopes to blend his line-ups between the inexperienced and experienced. He remains concerned that fringe Matildas are not getting enough chances at the highest levels.
Interim Matildas coach Tom Sermanni.Credit: Getty Images for Football Australia
His squad is made up of players spread across Europe, the United States and Australia.
“If I go back to my previous time in charge, we didn’t have FIFA windows and all the players were in the country, and you’d have access to them so you could do a huge amount more with your fringe and younger players,” Sermanni said.
“The key thing we need moving forward is to put things in place outside of just getting in for the FIFA windows and playing games. There are limitations around that, we need to find other avenues to start and develop those players we think are future Matildas or fringe Matildas so you give them a chance to work together.
“We do have an under-23 squad, but we have to start doing a lot more beyond that so when we bring in players, they are ready to come in.”
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