Steph Catley said that the success of Australians in European Football is an example to young players that “anything is possible.”
Catley’s Arsenal team is preparing to compete in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final against Barcelona on Sunday morning (AEST) alongside fellow CommBank Matildas Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross.
She was speaking to Australian media on Thursday evening.
“When I was growing up, especially in Melbourne, I wouldn’t have had any idea that I could be where I am today,” she said.
“European football, and the idea of the Champions League, just wasn’t on the cards. All I knew at that time was that I loved football and I wanted to play.
“Playing in a Champions League final is – along with probably a World Cup final – as high as you can get. So it’s a proud moment for me, and looking back to that young girl, it definitely puts a smile on my face.
“As young girls and boys in Australia, they can look at it and genuinely think anything is possible. If they believe in themselves, they can get to the top. There’s three Australians playing in this Champions League final - it’s definitely possible for them.”
Arsenal will go into the match as underdogs, taking on defending champions Barcelona who have - in recent year - arguably overtaken Lyon as the dominant team in women’s football.
Catley explained that the team will draw on their mentality to go for the win in the final.
“We obviously respect to Barcelona a lot and what they've done over many years in the Champions League,” Catley said.
“They've obviously got some incredible players - but I think the team that we have this season in particular is very, very resilient. We’ve got superstars in our team. We've got such talented players. But I think as a team, the way we work for each other, particularly off the ball, it's not like many teams in the world can do that.
“I think we showed that in the last couple of Champions League games, where we had our backs against the wall and we were able to overcome some pretty significant deficits and score goals, but also defend really well.
“I think this is a special team, and we have a lot of belief in what we're doing and in one another, so I think that's hard to play against [too].”
The three Australians in the Arsenal side would not be the first CommBank Matildas to lift the UWCL trophy if they secure the win. Catley’s long-time national teammate Ellie Carpenter lifted the trophy in 2020 and 2022 with Lyon and Catley suggested that she would draw on her advice before the game.
“I just looked at my phone before, and I've got a text message from her!” Catley smiled.
“She's basically jumping in early just to say good luck. It's a really, really sweet message. I'll be replying to that - probably straight after this - and probably pick her brain on a few things.
“She's obviously been there, done that, and won it as well, so I'm sure she's got lots of tips for me.”
Catley is no stranger to the big stage, having led out Australia as captain for the majority of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ on home soil.
She said that she would draw on her experiences from that tournament and bring them into the UWCL final.
“There's moments in your football career that you can point to and say, that's probably the biggest moment of my career - and a lot of those come during World Cups,” she said.
“You can't get much more pressure than doing that on home soil in some of those games that we did throughout that World Cup. The pressure that you feel, and how you deal with that, and what you learn from those occasions - it's all invaluable.
“So coming into a game like this, I know I feel prepared. I know I've played in front of big crowds before. When you know everything's on the line, it means everything to you. So it's nice to have those experiences to back me up.”
Finally, she took time to praise her CommBank Matildas and Arsenal teammates Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross on what is a huge moment in all their careers.
“I can talk about Caitlin [Foord] all day,” she smiled.
“She's one of my favourite players to play with in women's football, just because I see what she does in the small moments that most people wouldn't, and you feel that on the field and the energy she brings and the strength she brings to the team.
“She's capable of so much, and this is the biggest stage - and I've never seen her shy away from a big stage - so excited to see what she can do.
“For someone like Kyra [Cooney-Cross] – she’s played at the World Cup, in those big moments on home soil, but this is a different kind of pressure, and I think it's good for her to have those experiences and learn as much as she can from the moment and the people around her, and take all those lessons back to the national team.
“The lessons that she'll learn from this are massive, and for our national team, and also for Caitlin and I bringing that experience back – it’s invaluable.”
UWCL Final
Arsenal v Barcelona
Date: Sunday, 25 May AEST (Saturday, 24 May local)
Kick-off: 2am AEST
Venue: Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal
Broadcast: Kayo, DAZN