Manchester City and Australia star Mary Fowler has revealed she was tempted to declare for Ireland.
Fowler (20) will face the Girls in Green in front of over 80,000 fans in Sydney when the World Cup kicks off on July 20.
Born in Australia to an Irish dad and a mum from Papua New Guinea, Fowler had the chance to pull on the green jersey, but opted for her homeland instead.
Asked if she considered an international career with Ireland, Fowler admitted it was something she gave consideration to at the time.
“I think when you have the option to play for multiple nations, you do think about it because it's a decision that will live with you for the rest of your career,” she told FIFA.com.
“It’s smart, I think, to weigh up your options.
“So, yeah, there were moments when I thought about it.
“But I felt very strongly connected to Australia because it's where I was born, I have my friends there, I grew up there.
“So Australia ended up being the obvious choice.
“But I do feel very connected to both my parents' backgrounds, and I don’t see myself as just an Australian. I see myself as Papuan and Irish too.”
Capped 34 times already at senior level, despite only turning 20 last February, Fowler has nine goals to her name so far.
Two of those came against Ireland in Tallaght Stadium in September 2021, when the Matildas suffered a shock 3-2 friendly defeat.
Afterwards, she met up with her Dublin-based grandfather Kevin Fowler and presented him with her jersey.
Two of her siblings, brother Caoimhín and sister Ciara, have played underage for Ireland, but the FAI’s efforts to bring Mary into the fold were foiled by their Australian counterparts.
Fowler was capped against Brazil in 2018, aged 15, making her the fifth youngest player to represent her country at senior international level.
Now she can’t wait for the July 20 clash with Vera Pauw’s side.
“I was really excited when that draw came out. I was actually hoping we’d get Ireland,” said the youngster, who moved from Montpellier to Manchester City last year.
“For me, it's such a special opportunity because I do feel very connected to my Irish heritage, just as I do to my Papuan heritage.
“I know my family will be cheering for me and that my Irish family will be cheering for Ireland and me! Whoever wins, they’ll be happy.
“But, yeah, I think it's going to be a really exciting opening game, a great, fun atmosphere, and from what I hear the tickets sales for it have gone wild.”
Now that she is living in Manchester, Fowler has been able to see her grandfather more often in recent times.
“It’s just made it so much easier to visit my grandad because I can now go over there and come back the same day,” she said.
“It’s nice to be so close now, to have that easy connection to my heritage and a side of my family that it had been quite hard to see in person.”
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