Kyra Cooney-Cross is the Matildas midfielder who became a household name along with the rest of her team-mates during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
An entire nation cheered the Matildas on as they battled through the rounds of the high-profile series, held in front of sellout crowds across Australia and New Zealand in July and August 2023.
While most people had heard of high-profile team captain Sam Kerr, the Matildas march towards the semis turned non-football fans into fans.
Suddenly, everyone wants to know just who these insanely talented women were.
Here’s all we know about Kyra Cooney-Cross, one of the quiet achievers helping to create that special “Matildas magic”.
Where did Kyra Cooney-Cross grow up?
All over the place! Cooney-Cross, 22, had a very nomadic childhood.
She was borrn in Brisbane and raised in Coolum on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Her father, Jai, was a semi-professional footballer for Sunshine Coast Fire; when Cooney-Cross was little, her mum, Jessica, signed her up to the Soccer Squirts program and she showed early promise in the sport.
When her parents split up, Cooney-Cross moved with her mum and aunt to Alice Springs for three years. They then moved to Ballarat, and eventually to Melbourne, where at 14 Cooney-Cross joined the Junior Matildas.
She credits her mum as being her major source of inspiration.
“She has worked so hard to give my sisters and I all the opportunities to succeed in life,” Cooney-Cross tells WHO. “I am grateful for all the support she has given me and being there when I need her.”
Does Kyra Cooney-Cross have siblings?
Yes, she has three younger sisters, Mia, Shani and Mali.
Who does Kyra Cooney-Cross play for?
Kyra Cooney-Cross plays for Australia’s national football team, The Matildas. She tells WHO that one of the biggest highlights of her career was playing in the 2023 Women’s World Cup on home soil.
“It led to the next highlight which was signing for Arsenal in the Women’s Super League. It is an honour to play for one of the biggest women’s football clubs in the world,” she says.
Cooney-Cross began her professional career at just 15, playing for Melbourne Victory, where she won two championships.
From there she was signed to Swedish football club Hammarby IF before moving to the UK and joining Arsenal in late 2023.
“I know it seems really simple but really it is about working hard, having fun and enjoying the journey,” Cooney-Cross says. “Football doesn’t just happen. You have to put in the work behind the scenes, whether that is extra running or gym sessions or working on your touch. But you also need to keep the joy in the game as well.”
How much does Kyra Cooney-Cross earn?
When the 22-year-old joined Arsenal, she signed a contract for $272,000 a year, joining fellow Aussies Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley on the team.
‘’I’m so excited to join this club,’’ she said in September 2023 after signing. “Arsenal just felt right as soon as I heard about the interest.”
Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall described Cooney-Cross as ‘’one of the best young players in world football.’’
‘’We firmly believe she will be an excellent addition to our midfield,” he said.
What has Kyra Cooney-Cross say about ‘Matildas fever’?
Cooney-Cross has described herself as a bit of an introvert and is taking her time to get used to the attention of the media and the wider public.
‘’I would say I’m very introverted until I get comfortable,’’ she told The Sydney Morning Herald in February 2024.
‘’Sometimes, if I know I have to do an interview the next day, I won’t sleep.
“But having to play in front of 75,000 people tomorrow doesn’t stress me out. During the (2023) World Cup I definitely wasn’t stressed, I just played – the World Cup was the best experience.’’
And the Aussie fans are a big part of that.
“We are also lucky to have some of the best fans in the world and when I am out there on the pitch, I love being able to hear how loud they are as they support us,” she tells WHO.
“Walking out to represent Australia is an experience like no other. To be able to wear that green and gold and know that I am playing for my family, friends and the nation is a real honour.”
Who is Kyra Cooney-Cross dating?
Cooney-Cross has kept her personal life to herself, so it is not known who she is dating, if anyone.
Fans have long speculated that Cooney-Cross is in a relationship with fellow Matildas player Courtney Nevin but it’s not a relationship that has ever been confirmed. The pair are good friends and share a long sporting history together – they both played for Swedish club Hammarby IF.
Did Kyra Cooney-Cross play in the Paris Olympics?
Cooney-Cross qualified for her place on the Paris squad and it was the Matildas midfielder’s second Olympic Games – not bad for a 22-year-old!
‘’When I was in Tokyo I only just got into the team, I was pretty fresh,’’ she said in an interview on the official Matildas website (the team just missed out on a medal in Tokyo, placing fourth).
‘’(We were) just like – we’re so close to winning a medal. And now it gets frustrating. We just want a medal, we are that close.
It was disappointing then that Paris was not the Matilda’s year and the team didn’t progress to the quarter finals.
Cooney-Cross won’t be giving up any time soon though.
“It means everything to play for Australia. It’s because that moment represents all the hard work, the years of sacrifice and support from my Mum and sisters, the early mornings, the long car rides, the overcoming of doubts and the moments of joy with my teammates.
For my future, I just want to keep playing football as long as it gives me joy and as long as I continue to keep growing as a player,” she says.
How does Kyra Cooney-Cross deal with losing?
Losing is all part of the job for any professional athlete but Kyra says that the important thing is to enjoy what you’re doing and that prepares you for the hard bits.
“Enjoying the journey is about embracing all the moments and that includes the hard moments where you have to sacrifice. That can be sacrificing time with your family and friends, holidays or even at times your body,” she says. “That’s why having fun with football is important.”
What else is Kyra Cooney-Cross doing?
Cooney-Cross has recently taken up a role as an ambassador for ATHENA sports nutrition, which are supplements tailored specifically for women in sport.
“Many sports nutrition products are based on what male athletes need and don’t take into consideration that a female body is different. I love that ATHENA is female centred and doesn’t just look to do the same that has always been done,” Cooney-Cross says.
“As a female athlete, it really makes me proud to be an ambassador of a company like ATHENA.”
