Former Matilda leaves Hamish Macdonald stunned after revealing the shock pay she received after helping Australia reach the quarter-finals of the 2015 World Cup: ‘Seriously!?’
Former Matilda leaves Hamish Macdonald stunned after revealing the shock pay she received after helping Australia reach the quarter-finals of the 2015 World Cup: ‘Seriously!?’
Former Matilda Michelle Heyman has revealed the shocking amount the players were paid for reaching the quarter-finals of the 2015 FIFA World Cup.
As the Australian team gear up for a quarter-final against France ahead of a sell-out match in Brisbane on Saturday, Heyman told The Project how far the women’s game has come as FIFA talks about improving women’s prize money.
FIFA has pledged to equalize World Cup prize money for their two senior tournaments by 2027.
The Project host Hamish Macdonald asked Heyman, the A-League Women’s all-time leading goalscorer, what players were paid at the World Cup eight years ago.
“Michelle, let’s put this all in perspective: at the 2015 World Cup, you were in the quarterfinals after knocking out Brazil. How much did you take home as a result of that tournament?’ asked Macdonald Friday.
Project host Hamish Macdonald was stunned by a stunning revelation
Michelle Heyman revealed that she received $750 after the 2015 Women’s World Cup
“You really want to know?” Heyman said.
“Yes, I really want to know.”
“So the big $750,” Heyman said.
A stunned Macdonald replied, “Seriously?”
‘Yes. It was no good then. And it’s nice to see that a little bit has changed in the last eight years,” Heyman said.
“But yeah, that’s what we all took home, each was the big $750!”
Heyman said she was excited to see the Matildas do so well at their home tournament for the World Cup, selling out games and selling merchandise off the shelves.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese even talks about a holiday if the Matildas win.
But she said there was still a long way to go for the women’s game, despite the success of this tournament, which is jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
“There is still no equality in the game. I think we get paid four to five times less than the men for the World Cup.
“So it’s come a long way in the last eight years since my World Cup. But at the same time it is still so, so far from equality.’
She said the marketing of the women’s game had improved, but she didn’t begrudge the team’s success — and potential financial bonus.
“They’re my girls. They’re my team,’ she said.
But I think you can see the difference within companies that are jumping on board. Everyone supports the Matildas. Ten years ago there was none of that.’
Heyman is campaigning for better pay for female football players