The next generation of soccer superstars have this week been braving the wet and the cold of a Canberra winter as the rest of the country counts down to the FIFIA Women's World cup.
There was a time when the players at the Kanga Cup didn't have female heroes. Not because they didn't exist, but because they were largely unknown.
That has all changed thanks to the Matildas. From Mawson to Dickson, Canberra's soccer fields are bursting with Sam Kerr wannabes this week for the Kanga Cup: the largest soccer tournament in the southern hemisphere.
Kerr and co will take centre stage when the World Cup begins on July 20, and the Matildas have already had an impact before they've played a game in what will be Australia's largest women's sporting event.
The girls of the Easts FC under 14s team in Sydney left no doubt as to who they were supporting.
"Sam Kerr," they shouted, almost in unison.
How do they think the Matildas will go at a home World Cup? "We will smash them!" they shouted again.
Agnes Rhydderch, 11, from Lindfield FC in northern Sydney has tickets to World Cup games and plans to watch the rest on television. But her favourite player isn't goal-scoring star Kerr. It's flying winger Hayley Raso.
"I love watching her run down the wing," Rhydderch said. "But also, because she also broke her back and then she came back. So I think she's just great."
There are almost 300 teams at the Kanga Cup this week, 73 of them are girls.
Future superstars, trying to both emulate their Matildas heroes and having the chance to impress scouts from Australia and Europe.
Huddling under umbrellas and rain jackets as the weather turned nasty on Tuesday, parents said the Kanga Cup was the perfect opener for the World Cup.
One parent exclaimed how the Wallabies heroes of his day had been replaced with Matildas' posters on the walls of his two daughters' bedrooms.
"We grew up with [former Wallabies captain] Nick Farr-Jones and these guys have got the same experience with Sam [Kerr.] It's just wonderful," the parent said.
The hosting of the World Cup on Australian shores has helped girls at the Kanga Cup dream of a future in the yellow and green jersey.
Many of the Matildas ply their trade in the top leagues of Europe, giving girls like Agnes confidence in the opportunities to play at the highest level in the future.
When asked if her dream was to represent the Matildas, she didn't hesitate: "Obviously."
The Kanga Cup will continue for the rest of the week with finals to be played on Friday, while the women's World Cup starts when the Matildas play the Republic of Ireland on July 20.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
