Alanna Kennedy became the fifth player to reach 150 appearances for the CommBank Matildas against Kenya, an incredible milestone for someone who has been an immense servant of the team for many years.
Kennedy has been a key part of the team’s defence since her debut as a 17-year-old in 2012 but has since had a career resurgence in midfield, winning the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™ MVP playing predominantly as a ‘6’.
Let’s take a walk down memory lane as we recap her journey to 150.
Early Days
Alanna Kennedy was raised in Campbelltown, NSW. She attended the selective Westfields Sports High School and knew that she was destined for big things in football from the beginning.
“From a young age, I knew I wanted to be a Matilda,” she recalled back in 2019.
“As I got older and reached different levels of my career, I realised that it was a reality and the potential was there.”
Her club career began as a teenager with Sydney FC in the 2010/11 season. It wasn’t until she joined the Newcastle Jets in 2011/12 that she became a regular starter and was selected for the Matildas off the back of her Jets form.
She made her Matildas debut against New Zealand under Tom Sermanni in 2012. The then-17-year-old hasn’t looked back since.
Storied Club Career
Like many CommBank Matildas, Kennedy’s club career has taken her all over Australia and the world.
In the A-League Women’s, she has played for Sydney FC, Newcastle Jets, Western Sydney Wanderers, Perth Glory and Melbourne City at different points. Sydney is the club that she is most associated with, making 61 appearances and scoring nine goals in her time there.
Between 2016 and 2020, she interspersed her time in Australia with stints in the NWSL. She first joined the Western New York Flash in 2016 before moving to Orlando Pride in the following year. She made 60 appearances for the Pride, scoring eight times, including a remarkable bicycle kick goal in 2019.
A season at Tottenham Hotspur followed – her first as a full-time professional at club level – before she spent four seasons at Manchester City between 2021 and 2025. A small stint back in the States at Angel City followed before transferring to the London City Lionesses this campaign.
She has won three A-League Women's Championships and two Premierships, an NWSL Championship with the Flash, and a League Cup with Manchester City.
Matildas Milestones
Kennedy has been involved in every major tournament with the national team since making her debut in 2012.
“When I play for the Matildas, I feel like I’m where I belong,” she said in 2023.
“I feel comfortable, I feel like myself. Being back here with the girls makes me happy.”
Her time in the team hasn’t been without its heartbreak, however. At Rio 2016™, she missed her penalty when the team was eliminated by Brazil in the quarter-finals. Then, at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™, she received a red card for a denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity in extra time against Norway in the Round of 16 tie that the team would ultimately go on to lose.
“It’s all just part of the journey, you have to just embrace it,” she said.
“There’s been a lot of ups and downs… and injuries, touch wood. But it does build resilience.”
Kennedy’s aerial presence in the box has seen her score some pivotal goals for Australia. During the 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup semi-final against Thailand, Australia was staring down the face of a shock loss to Thailand. Up stepped the defender to score in the 91st minute to send the game to extra time and penalties, which Australia eventually won 3-1.
She was also part of the group that made history at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, finishing in fourth place in front of home fans. She made the squad after a gruelling rehabilitation process after injuries to her hamstring, shoulder, calf and even her knee.
Her contribution at centre-back alongside Clare Hunt was crucial to the team’s success. Since then, though, she’s found her calling in a different part of the pitch.
Midfield Resurgence
Kennedy had been playing in the centre of the park for a number of seasons at club level. It had never quite come off at the international level – until recently.
Last October, at the beginning of Montemurro’s tenure, Kennedy started as a defensive midfielder against England. It didn’t come off. She was shown a red card in the first half, and many thought that might be the end of the experiment.
Montemurro persisted. It proved to be the correct decision. Kennedy finished the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™ as its best player, scoring five goals during the tournament and having an immense impact on the team’s run to the final, as well as picking up Most Valuable Player for the tournament.
“Being able to play higher up the pitch is where I think I can give my best in football, and I’m just happy that I had the opportunity under Pep in this tournament to do that,” she said after the tournament.
At 31 years of age, Kennedy recently described herself as a “spring chicken.” There are still plenty of years to come in her career.
And, now, it appears as if those years will come with Kennedy sitting in the centre of midfield for her beloved national team.