If a Women's World Cup on home soil wasn't enough to keep Clare Polkinghorne's decorated playing career ticking along, the veteran Matilda has her own niche source of motivation.
Last year, a petition was tabled with the Queensland parliament to have Polkinghorne immortalised via a statue outside Suncorp Stadium.
It was welcomed by just about everyone bar the humble central defender, set to claim her 150th cap against Sweden at AAMI Park on Saturday.
"I heard that it's not a go ahead until I retire - so I just will never retire and then they can't do it," Polkinghorne told reporters.
The 33-year-old has been to four Women's World Cups, won an Asian Cup, captained Australia and attended two Olympics.
She will soon join Cheryl Salisbury and Lisa De Vanna as the only 150-game Matildas.
"Cheryl is a legend of the game and just what she was able to do for our sport in this country is incredible and Lisa De Vanna's the same," Polkinghorne said.
"Both fantastic players and really, I think, changed the path for women's football in Australia.
"It makes me a little uncomfortable to put myself in the same light as them."
The commanding centre-back has come a long way since her "whirlwind" debut as a teenager in 2006.
"It was so long ago now. We were in China," Polkinghorne said.
"I can't remember too many details from the game but I'm pretty sure we had a red card during the game and I came on as a striker."
Reaching the World Cup is Polkinghorne's next target, especially after hamstring injuries limited her 2015 and 2019 campaigns.
It is also another chapter in a journey that has intertwined with the Matildas' rise to prominence.
"When I first came to the Matildas, there was not a lot of support for the team," Polkinghorne said.
"The 2007 World Cup was was probably where it really started to turn and people started to take notice.
"Since then we've slowly progressed. It's been a long journey and lots of ups and downs and tough times for the team.
"But at the end of the day, we always wanted to put the team first and try and help grow the game as much as we can, however we can.
"From where I started in the team to where it is now, it's incredible to see how far we've come and the type of players that we have at the moment. It's really exciting to see where the team can go."
