Michelle Heyman

Michelle Heyman is one of Australia’s most accomplished and respected football players. A highly decorated athlete, she is renowned for her achievements as a Matilda, an Olympian, and a trail-blazer championing the rise of women’s football.

Heyman made her debut for the Matilda’s in 2010 where she became known for her agility, strength and scoring prowess. During those nine years at an international level, she played 63 games, scoring a phenomenal 26 goals. She was an integral member of the Matilda’s at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada and the 2016 Olympic games in Rio.

Heyman is Australia’s leading goal scorer in the A-League Women’s with an almighty 111 goals to her name. She also holds the record for the most games played within the league, and is the only footballer ever in the A-League to win three Golden Boots (2009, 20011/12 and 2023/24). 

In 2019 Heyman retired from international football to give her body and mind a well needed break. She used that time to re-set her priorities. Commentating for the Women’s A-League allowed Heyman to see the game from another perspective, and in 2020, she realised she was not finished competing on an international level. She then set her sights on doing whatever it took to get back into the Australian squad.

Known as the ‘comeback queen’, she re-joined the Matilda’s in 2024 where, as a forward, she quickly proved that age is just a number and scored five goals over two Olympic Qualifiers against Uzbekistan, helping the Matilda’s secure a ticket to the Paris Olympics. In the first of two friendlies against China in June, Michelle kicked the equalizer in the final five seconds of the match.

As a result of this hard work, passion, and leadership on and off the field, Heyman was confirmed as a key member of Matilda’s team for her second, Olympics - Paris 2024.

Off the field, Heyman is respected for her leadership as a captain, her commitment to women’s football at a grassroots level. She is a vocal advocate for gender equality and LGBTQIA+ rights in sport.

 Heyman has a unique and rare perspective on the remarkable journey and rise of the Matilda’s, having witnessed it evolve over the past 14 years. She can speak first-hand about the fundamental changes within the game for women, the phenomenal growth of the Matilda brand, and the power of sell-out crowd for a women’s football matc