How shock Cathy Freeman pep talk led to the Matildas 10-0 rout of Uzbekistan to seal Olympic qualification

A Matildas star has revealed that an unexpected pre-game revival from Olympic icon Cathy Freeman was the catalyst for their huge 10-0 win over Uzbekistan on Tuesday.

Needing just a draw to guarantee safe passage to the Paris Olympics, the Australian women’s team brought the hammer down on their hapless opponent in an everlasting defeat at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.

A special moment took place on the field when infamously retired Sydney 2000 gold medalist Freeman appeared on the field and posed for photos with players including fellow Indigenous star Mary Fowler.

More than half of Matildas consider Cathy Freeman their biggest sporting hero after her gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics

Now veteran Matildas defender Aivi Luik has revealed that Freeman gave the whole team their motivation heading into the match.

‘We all plopped into it, sat down on our seats and he (Swedish football manager coach) said that although this kind of tournament requires a lot of tactics, it also requires a lot of faith and a lot of heart, and so we went Take a different turn and do something different,” Luik said.

“They played a three-minute highlight film on YouTube of the moment of Cathy Freeman’s race and by the end of it there was a lot of emotion in the room.

“When they turned on the lights, we turned around and there she was. It was a big surprise for us. A lot of the girls were very emotional.”

It is not the first time that Freeman has surprised the Matildas in camp and also visited them ahead of their home match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

It came after an internal survey found that more than half of Matildas considered Freeman their biggest sporting hero.

Australian captain Steph Catley, who replaced the injured Sam Kerr, also took time for Freeman after the record victory

“You still get goosebumps when you see Cathy Freeman all this time later,” NSL chief executive Andy Harper said during commentary on Ten.

“Imagine what it’s like for the athletes in women’s sports, the standard bearers, the torch bearers, especially Cathy Freeman, when they come into this environment and they’re very happy and relaxed when they pass that baton to another group and to take over. This entire discussion takes the entire status of women’s sports to a previously unknown level.

“It’s a great story that keeps being told.”

At age 50, Freeman is recovering from a significant injury that required surgery last year, and relies on a walking stick for assistance.

The Sydney 2000 gold medalist suffered an Achilles tendon rupture at home but has shown improvement after switching from crutches to aid her mobility.

Freeman was honored with a stand named in her honor at the same location where she won Olympic gold

Freeman is considered not only one of the greatest female or indigenous athletes to represent Australia, but also one of the greatest athletes to ever compete

In September, the famed Indigenous athlete turned heads when the NSW government unveiled plans to name a stand in her honor at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, the site of her iconic Games victory.

Exactly 23 years earlier, on the same date, Freeman had solemnly lit the flame at the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games at the stadium.

Ten years later she captivated the nation by winning the women’s 400 meters final at the venue and celebrated by completing a triumphant lap while holding both the Australian and Indigenous flags, in front of a huge crowd of more than 110,000 supporters.

The historic moment held the record for the country’s most watched TV event until it was surpassed by the Matildas World Cup semi-final against England at the same stadium.

Freeman said she was “deeply honored and humbled” to be permanently recognized at a stadium that held a special place in her heart.

“I hope my story continues to inspire generations of girls and boys to pursue their own dreams in sports and life,” she said.