The Matildas are haunted by heartbreak. Caitlin Foord says it has them primed for the Olympics

Matildas star Caitlin Foord has cast off injury concerns and declared she will be ready for the Matildas’ Olympic opener against Germany on Friday.

The Arsenal forward sat out the Matildas 2-1 loss to Canada in their final warm-up match after feeling “tightness” in her quadricep, during the warm-up.

It is welcome news for the Matildas — who are already without injured all-time lead scorer Sam Kerr — the loss of Ford could have been catastrophic for their medal chances.

“I’ll be fine,” Foord told 7.30 when asked if she was fit for the Olympics.

“If it was an Olympic game [against Canada], I would have played.

“But there was just no reason to really take any risks this close to the opening game. So we decided to call it and just get it right.”

Foord was not the only Matilda to miss the loss to Canada.

Captain Steph Catley and defender Kaitlyn Torpey also missed the match, while Alanna Kennedy and Katrina Gorry also nursed injuries, but Foord is confident they will all be ready for the Games.

Already a veteran of Olympic competition, with two behind her, as well as four World Cups, Foord has nothing to show for them in terms of silverware.

She knows this tilt at Olympic success will take a toll.

“To play a game and then back up three days later … it’s tough on the body and your mind,” Foord told 7.30.

Haunted by heartbreak

Not dwelling on the past may be key to Olympic success for the Matildas.

They may have captured the hearts of the nation during the 2023 World Cup but ultimately they left with heartbreak.

The fourth-placed finish in Australia, where they were beaten 3-1 by England in the semifinals and then lost the third/fourth placed playoff to Sweden told a familiar tale.

It was hauntingly similar to that of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, where the Matildas lost to Sweden in the semifinals and then Team USA in the bronze medal match.

Both results are the best the team has done at either tournament but also show that when the Matildas come up against the heavyweights of world football, on the biggest stage, they often come up just short.

And this Olympics will not be easy.

Spain, Japan, Brazil, France and Canada are all there and officially ranked above the Matildas, while their own group sees them mixed with Team USA and Germany.

That list doesn’t even include Zambia, who have a striker in Barbra Banda, who may be the most in-form player in women’s football right now.

She scored back-to-back hat-tricks last Olympics and despite her team’s defensive deficiencies is an attacking weapon that refuses to be blunted.

Foord though remains unperturbed, even if past results have stung, and is adamant the Matildas’ near misses may yet amount to future glory.

“Riding that wave of highs and lows is what the tournament is all about,” she said.

“[We] went really close last Olympics and went really close the previous World Cup.

If the Matildas are to have success at these Games then a win or draw against Germany in Marseille will be paramount; like it was back at Rio 2016 when Foord scored in a 2-2 draw against them in Sao Paulo.

“Its a massive game, ” Foord said.

“Germany’s a powerhouse in women’s football, and they have been over so many years. They know what it takes to win gold. 

“So it’s going to be a tough opening game, but we’re up for the challenge.”

ABC will be running separate blogs for all Matildas matches at Paris 2024, starting with Australia vs Germany from 3am on Friday July 26.