Young Hayley Raso didn't know that women could play at World Cups and Olympics. Now, the CommBank Matilda - having been in three World Cup squads and two Olympics - is inspiring the next generation to follow in her footsteps.
The 31-year-old was honoured in Gosford on Friday night after becoming the 17th player to reach a century of Matildas appearances against Wales in October.
This is her story - from debuting as an 18-year-old against New Zealand, to making her 102nd appearance against the same opposition on Friday night at Polytec Stadium.
Early Days
Raso grew up on the Gold Coast, raised by her mother, Renaye, alongside her brothers Lachlan and Jordan. Renaye encouraged young Hayley to follow her dreams before she even knew that her dreams were possible.
“She used to drive me to Brisbane every day from the Gold Coast for training," Raso recalled back in 2019.
She had to wait to get her first opportunity in the A-League Women, trialling with Canberra after being unable to break into the Brisbane Roar squad. She debuted in green in 2011 and turned heads in her first season.
She did enough to impress then Matildas Head Coach, Tom Sermanni, who brought her into her first squad in June 2012. She debuted against New Zealand in a 1-1 draw, when she won the corner that resulted in Thea Slatyer's late equaliser.
“I remember when I came in as a young kid, I was so scared,” she said.
“When I was growing up, I don’t think I knew how big women’s football was, and that there were World Cups and Olympics that we could participate in.
“But once I made my debut for the Matildas and knew what level I could achieve, I definitely wanted to be at those major tournaments.”
FIFA Women's World Cup 2015™
After scoring her first goal for the national team in 2014, Raso was named in the squad to travel to Canada for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2015™.
It was a huge moment for the youngster, but she was left disappointed when she didn't see any game time during the tournament. Australia were defeated 1-0 by Japan in the quarter-final.
She had never been more motivated as she set her sights to 2019, and participating in the Women's World Cup in France. However, her goal was about to hit an unexpected snag - and one that had consequences well beyond the football pitch.
A broken back, and the comeback
Raso was a fan favourite during her time with the Portland Thorns. After signing in 2016, she was named the 2017 MVP by fans and - after overcoming injury during the first half of the season - was set to continue that form in 2018.
On 25 August, while the team was on the road against the Washington Spirit, Raso went up for a challenge. When she came down, she was in agony. She suffered a non-displaced fracture of the transverse processes of L2, L3 and L4. In layman's terms: she had broken her back.
“Once the medical team arrived on the field, I was asked numerous questions about ‘where the pain was’, ‘if I could feel my legs’, ‘could I wiggle my toes’. I couldn’t answer any of the questions. I was in shock, I was in agonizing pain, and I just knew that something really bad had happened," she explained.
“My first thought was – I’ll never be able to walk again. I broke down. So many emotions came over me. All I could think about was, how am I going to live my life like this?
“For me personally, I know I have a high pain threshold and I am usually very brave in these situations but for the first time, I actually felt helpless. This injury was the worst pain I have ever felt in my entire life, and nothing would make it go away.”
The possibility of never being able to walk again, let alone play, shattered her entire world. All her future dreams were hanging in the balance, waiting on the outcome of her scans.
After what seemed like forever, she finally received the news that she was waiting for from the neurosurgeon. "The bad news is that you've broken your back... but the good news is, you will play again."
Raso was elated and set out on her long road to recovery.
She made her national team comeback on 28 February 2019, scoring a stunning solo goal against New Zealand - the same opposition she debuted against seven years ago.
FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™.
The World Cup on home soil was one of the biggest occasions in Australian sport, and Hayley Raso entered the tournament in top form.
In a must-win group stage game against Canada, Raso scored a first-half brace in the Matildas' comprehensive 4-0 victory. She followed it up with the sealer against Denmark, helping Australia to their memorable fourth-place finish.
There is an iconic image of her, on her knees, eyes wide, celebrating the goal that made it 2-0 against the Olympic champions, Canada.
“To see how many people we’ve inspired, selling out crowds, having a World Cup in your own backyard – it’s incredible and it’s just amazing to see how women’s football has progressed over the years,” Raso said at the time.
The Century
Raso has continued as one of the most vital players in the squad, as her pace, tenacity and ability on the ball helps to drive the CommBank Matildas' attacks forward.
She was circumspect ahead of her 100th appearance against Wales last month, which the team marked with a 2-1 victory in Cardiff.
“We're a group who have been together for such a long time," she reflected.
"It's like a family. I think that representing Australia is the biggest honour in the world. So to be able to do that 100 times, it's pretty special."
She reflected on her back injury as she spoke about the ups and downs of her journey.
“I remember, during that injury and during my rehab, questioning whether I would be able to play again, if I would come back again. I had a lot of fear around that, so it was a really tough time for me.
"But I think it definitely made me a lot stronger. I've come out the other side of that, and I've continued to play at this top level for a long time. I've ended up here, sitting here talking about my 100th game, which I didn't think in that moment I would ever reach. It's very special."
In her first game on home soil since reaching the ton, she once again found herself taking on New Zealand on Friday evening. Her 23rd international goal was the icing on the cake of an outstanding month in green and gold.
You wouldn't bet against there being many more goals to come.