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An Audacious World Cup Debut and A Big Future

Caitlin Foord is one of the most precocious young talents in the women’s game today. Australia’s versatile right-sided player was named Best Young Player at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, beating out the likes of Saki Kumagai and Kim Kulig.

The 16-year-old chats about her World Cup experience and future plans below.

Can you talk about how you were first recruited to play for the Westfield Matildas?

I played for Sydney FC in the Westfield W-League and based on my performances for Sydney I got asked into camp.

The Matildas had a notably young World Cup squad. What was the dynamic like between the young players and the veterans?

Our team bonded really well everyone got along age differences weren’t really a factor.

What was it like to play in a World Cup as your first major international appearance (and make your World Cup debut against Brazil, no less)? How did you prepare?

I prepared just like I would for any other match. It was probably the highlight of my career so far. To play against Brazil with a decent crowd is pretty impressive, but to say that I marked Marta just tops it off!

You had several excellent outings in the tournament and were named Best Young Player of the tournament. What’s going to be your lasting memory of the tournament?

To be named Best Young player of the Tournament was a bit of a surprise because I didn’t even know that award was there until everyone started saying congratulations to me. I don’t think I will have a lasting memory because there are too many memories to pick from. The whole tournament was amazing.

You’ve excelled at both right-back and on the right wing. Have you always had both a defensive and attacking presence or did one come later on in your development?

While I was developing, I was always a striker or a winger. I have only been playing right-back for about a year now. I got put in the right-back position leading up to the 2010/11 Westfield W-League and it has stuck since then I guess.

Would you ever consider playing college soccer in the United States?

At the moment, I’m still in school studying and haven’t really thought too much at what I’m going to do when I’m finished so there could be a possibility that I could head to the States, but I guess I’ll see what I wanna do when I finish school.

You’re only 16 and have already kicked off your soccer career in remarkable fashion. What’s next for you and what are your biggest ambitions footballing or otherwise?

Well, I am heading to China with the Westfield Matildas for the Olympic Qualifiers on the 24th of August and once I come back from there I’m off straight away again to Vietnam with the U-20 young Matildas for our U-20 World Cup qualifers.

Thanks to Caitlin and Mark.

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