Right-back Ellie Carpenter expressed her excitement on Monday after being selected in the 18-player squad who will represent the CommBank Matildas at Paris 2024™.
Carpenter has played her club football in France, for Lyon, for the past four years.
“It’s very special,” she exclaimed. “It feels like another major tournament on home soil for me. I’m very lucky to have had the [FIFA Women’s] World Cup [2023], and Olympics.”
She joked that she will be taking on the role of translator for her teammates in Paris, but that was something that she was more than happy to do for the team.
In terms of the football itself, she conceded that it was going to be difficult in a 12-team tournament packed with quality, but that the group had special attributes that would help them succeed.
“This is going to be the toughest one,” she reflected. “You look at the teams, the groups – our group is tough. To even get out of the group is a massive achievement. We have a big task on our hands.”
“We’ve done it before. We’ve had hard groups. Our last experience at the Olympics was such a good one to have, before we got that taste of being forced with things so close, playing those do-or-die matches, a semi and a bronze medal match. So we know what it takes now. That’s very important to bring into this one.”
“This team is very special. I’ve been a part of it for nearly 10 years now, and it’s so unique. I can’t describe it. When we’re on the field, off the field, we’re family and we always fight for each other, play for each other, no matter what.”
Having come so close in previous tournaments – finishing fourth in both Tokyo 2020™ and at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ - Carpenter says that small refinements will be what helps them in their goal of winning a medal in Paris.
“That’s the only thing missing, that final product,” she expressed. “It’s those final details at the end of the tournament.”
“You know, we’re all tired, playing six games. We know that’s the toughest game, you have to perform. There’s going to be fatigue. That’s what we’re really focusing on and we have been working on that, mentally and physically leading into this Olympics.
“It’s going to be cutthroat, and we know what it takes to be there. So we really need to be prepared, and we’re really going to be pushing for that medal.”
The 24-year-old is heading into her third Olympic Games. She thinks that she has matured greatly since her first games, and that experience will only help her in Paris.
“Playing in Europe at one of the top clubs, I have these big game experiences nearly every weekend,” she explained, “so I kind of get that pressure. I know that it takes.”
“On the field it’s that composure, not letting the pressure, the fans, all those outside of us get to you. I think I’m quite experienced now, only being 24. I think I can bring that also on the field and kind of relax everybody. We’ve been here, we’ve done that. We play in front of 76,000 people on the daily now when we come home!”
Carpenter was named as joint vice-captain alongside Emily van Egmond in the most recent CommBank Matildas leadership team. It is something that the girl from Cowra is very proud of.
“It came as quite a bit of a shock when they announced me, but I feel like I’m more than ready to take up this role within the team,” she stated.
“I’m very honoured to be a part of this leadership group. I have amazing girls beside me and it’s a real honour to lead this team.”
“For me, it’s just being true to myself but also letting the girls express themselves. I feel like I’m a very positive person on the pitch. It’s nice to help those young ones. And also just giving your best, and I never give up. We all have that mentality, and I bring that winning mentality – never give up, always give 100%. I like to bring that.”