Coach Tony Gustavsson expects Australia's run to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup semifinals to resonate far beyond the sport's regular audience as the Matildas' exploits dominated the nation's media the morning after their penalty shootout win over France.
The tournament cohost booked its first-ever appearance in the last four with a 7-6 victory on penalties after a 0-0 draw with Herve Renard's team in Brisbane on Saturday, triggering a bout of soccer fever across the country.
Record-breaking television and streaming figures — plus blanket coverage on the front and back pages of the nation's newspapers — greeted the win, and Gustavsson believes his players can be the catalyst for change throughout Australian society.