With the 2024 Olympics fast approaching and the 2023/24 FA Women’s Super League well underway, Australian soccer star Stephanie “Steph” Catley, 30, is excited for the upcoming energy and the massive year ahead.
The Matildas star and vice-captain started playing for the squad back in 2012 and was later signed by Melbourne City FC in 2015. She then moved between Orlando Pride and Seattle Reign FC before signing with Arsenal in July 2020.
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Arsenal currently sits at number three on the table and Steph remains hopeful that her team can take out another win this year.
“It’s always so so close,” Steph tells WHO. “We’ve come very close for many years now… I hope this is our year.”
The season began in October 2023 and runs until May 2024, proving to be a very long season for the girls – which means the trajectory of the season could alter at any given moment.
“It’s super, super tight,” Steph tells us. “The league has gotten so strong, and any team can beat anyone on any given day.”
But the Women’s Super League isn’t the only competition on Steph’s mind.
On February 24, Steph will join the Matildas in their game against Uzbekistan at the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifier, a highly anticipated game among Australian fans.
“I think for a lot of us, that have been in the team for a while, [we’re] very hungry to get a medal and to get success,” Steph says.
Having finished fourth at the last Olympics and fourth at the most recent World Cup, Steph says the team is ready to “go after this tournament… and achieve something special.”
“But first things first, we’ve got to qualify and we’re all making sure we’re fit and healthy,” she says.
Unfortunately, in this competition, that is not always possible. Recent news of Matildas captain Sam Kerr’s ACL injury shocked both fans and her fellow teammates.
“The squads just devastated,” Steph admitted. “You never want to see any player, especially of her caliber, going through something like that.”
“She’s such a positive person… we just want to make sure that she’s okay as a person before anything else. And we’ll be with her every step of the way.”
In light of Sam’s injury, fans worry about whether she will recover in time to participate in the Olympics qualifying round.
As Steph’s duty as vice-captain, she would likely be required to step up to the position of Captain if Sam was not able to when the time comes.
“For me, leadership is me not changing who I am or what I do. I lead by example; I lead the way that I lead and I try not to overcomplicate or overthink it,” Steph tells WHO.
“We’ve got a really good squad full of incredible leaders… Everyone leads in their own way, and everyone puts in a shift and steps up when they need to step up.”
Every round of the Barclays Women’s Super League is available live on Optus Sport.
Further information about Optus Sport:
Watch the best players in the world live on Optus Sport – from Salah, Saka and De Bruyne in the Premier League, to Bellingham, Pedri, and Modric in LALIGA, and Aussie heroes Catley, Kennedy, and Fowler in the Barclays Women’s Super League. Watch through your favourite device. Eligible Optus customers can enjoy an Optus Sport subscription for just $6.99/mth via Optus SubHub. Optus Sport subscriptions are also available for $24.99/mth.
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