Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Steve Evans

The corner of Canberra where the Lionesses' heart beats most proudly

None of this diplomatic stuff, please.

At the residence of the British High Commissioner in Canberra, there is no soft talk about "hope for a good game" and "may the best team win".

Vicki Treadell CMG, MVO is an out and out football fan who will barrack for England with all her heart and all her throat.

She wears the white jersey of the Lionesses. Her red England scarf is around her neck - and occasionally held high as though in triumph on the terraces. The flag on the pole outside is the flag of England and not the Union Jack of Britain.

She puts it politely but the fan's commitment is strong. "If England are not to succeed, I will be supporting the Matildas - but I hope that that is not the case," she says.

But an important point first. "I insist it's called football. I have no time for that word soccer," she says.

She will be at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Wednesday night in what she says is a good seat "as the senior Brit".

The British High Commissioner, Vicki Treadell. Picture by Gary Ramage

Before the game, she will meet England fans as she's done at the previous games she's been to.

And she will want England to win passionately. It sounds authentic. Sometimes when politicians or important people talk about soccer (apologies), it sounds like they are jumping on a popular bandwagon.

Not in this case. She supports Liverpool and clearly knows a right back from a right Charlie. It really is for her, "the beautiful game", a phrase she uses.

She did once play football - for the Joint Export Promotion Directorate of the British public service. It's not Barcelona or Liverpool exactly and it was six-a-side - but she played.

"I scored the winning goal. There's no feeling like scoring a winning goal," she says.

And she does follow the Reds in the English Premier League despite "the awful time difference".

Apart from the keen fandom in the embassy, the ambassador rejoices in this World Cup.

"We have seen some magnificent football. The skill levels have been quite phenomenal. Each game has been hard fought, with physicality," she says.

"We have seen young women who are strong, resilient, passionate, who put the team above the self. Of course, there are individual stars but if you look at how these stars support the wider team, and how they play and support each other, it's been a wonderful thing to watch."

She likes the way Australia is now experiencing an "awakening" as women's football (translation: soccer) becomes a mass spectator sport.

For England, it came with the European Championships in 2022 when the audiences in stadiums and on television were huge. The game went into national life as England beat Germany in the final.

"I have a lot of empathy with what is going on in Australia. I can understand the huge pride Australians feel in the Matildas," she says.

She points out some of the Matildas play their club football in England. Across the national teams, many are teammates in their club careers.

She loved the moment when English players shielded the weeping Nigerian goalkeeper from cameras after England beat Nigeria.

And she may get to love the moment the Matildas triumph in the final.

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.