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AAP
AAP
Sport
Anna Harrington

Matildas look to emulate England's home heroics at WWC

Arsenal's Caitlin Foord is among the Matildas aiming for the thrill of a home World Cup triumph. (Darren Pateman/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Some of the Matildas' biggest names need only look inside their club dressing rooms for inspiration in preparation for a major tournament on home soil.

Many of Australia's English Women's Super League stars were in the stands as their clubmates in the England squad won last year's Women's Euros with a groundswell of home support behind them.

A month out from the 2023 Women's World Cup, Arsenal duo Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord are among those daring to dream of their own miracle run.

"Just to even have the opportunity to have a World Cup on home soil, not many players get to experience that," Foord told AAP.

"To have it on what should feel like a peak for all of us and our best tournament yet is exciting."

That England squad was full of WSL players coming into their own at the top level, while the 2023 Matildas are now stacked with Europe-based stars.

"Most of us are playing in some of the best leagues in the world, doing very, very well in the best leagues in the world, coming back, able to replicate that form for national team," Catley told AAP.

"The players that have stepped up have now proven that they're able to play a certain level, they're able to step into roles and perform.

"That has created a depth that we've never seen in our team before.

"On the back of us caring so much about this team in general from us being in it so long, knowing the significance of it being a home World Cup, it's pretty exciting to think of what we can achieve."

There are other eerie similarities to England's Euro champions.

Coach Tony Gustavsson has stressed the importance of "game changers" who can come off the bench and turn matches in Australia's favour - which have typically been Alex Chidiac and Mary Fowler.

Chidiac resisted the label until she saw England's pair of electrifying substitutes last year.

"When I first started to buy into it more was probably watching England at the Euros and seeing Ella Toone and Alessia Russo come on and change a game for England, and they were such a massive part in them being successful at the Euros and ending up winning it," Chidiac told AAP.

"They probably got given 30 minutes, 20 minutes and they were coming on, scoring and assisting goals, playing with no fear.

"It just felt like those two players specifically were very bought into what Sarina (Wiegman) was doing with the team.

"Those two players in particular have been something that I've always thought about whenever I'm in the national team."

England's run captivated the country's public and turned women's football there into a behemoth.

Midfielder Katrina Gorry believes a deep Cup run, or even lifting the trophy, can elevate women's football in Australia.

"I can't really put into words what it would do for us and for football in Australia," she said.

"I definitely hope that it changes the game forever."

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