Mary Fowler opens up about having to live in cars and tents with her big family when she was on her way to football stardom

Matildas superstar Mary Fowler talks about her humble beginnings – including sleeping in tents and sometimes living out of a car – and how those tough times paved her way to international football stardom.

The Manchester City winger, who is only 21, is preparing for her second Olympic Games in Paris in July.

It was a process that started on Trinity Beach in Cairns when Fowler went to school.

She and her four siblings spent countless hours participating in the “mini-Olympics,” running races, throwing sticks and kicking a soccer ball.

‘It was very nice [at Trinity Beach]Fowler recalled.

Mary Fowler (second from right, pictured with her family) has four siblings – and spent many nights in the family car or in tents as a child

Fowler’s father Kevin (right) met his wife Nido when he traveled through her village in Papua New Guinea

‘After school we went to the beach and that’s where we spent most of our time.

“We created little challenges and turned them into a competitive game because there were so many of us.”

With multiple mouths to feed, there was not enough money for the Fowler family.

Sometimes they slept in cars and tents, but Fowler is convinced that those tough days help her overcome life’s adversities, even though she is now living the dream of being a professional football player.

“It was hard, but that’s the strength of our family; we take things as they are and make the best of them,” Fowler shared Broad sports world.

‘That’s how I’ve been living my life ever since. It’s just making the best of what you have and trying to focus on the good. So I think a lot of lessons came from that.

‘But there were also sacrifices that I don’t take lightly. It has made me the person I am today.’

The raw Fowler is athletically gifted and made her debut for the Matildas at the age of 15

Off the field, Fowler is in a relationship with NRL superstar Nathan Cleary, with the couple confirming their relationship last year

Fowler is now a globally recognized athlete following her exploits at the 2023 World Cup

The exciting winger plays for Manchester City in the Women’s Super League in England

Her father Kevin is Irish and he married Nido, who grew up in a village in Papua New Guinea.

Kevin Fowler also believes sleeping in caravan parks and tents kept his five children grounded, with the family car dubbed ‘Hotel Tarago’ due to the frequency with which all seven family members stayed in the vehicle.

Athletically gifted, Fowler soon caught the attention of representative scouts in Queensland, representing the state in an under-12 tournament at just 10 years of age.

This was followed by a family move to Europe, where Fowler represented BVV Barendrecht in the Netherlands until she was fourteen.

The Young Matildas followed, before Matildas coach Alen Stajcic presented the attacking ace with a senior cap.

Fowler was only fifteen.

Stajcic – the current coach of the Perth Glory men’s team – knew immediately that Fowler was a special talent, pointing to her technique and explosiveness.

Fast forward to 2024 and Fowler is a hero to countless football fans worldwide – and her long-distance relationship with NRL superstar Nathan Cleary is also generating plenty of attention off the field.

Fowler shared a photo of herself on Instagram relaxing on a beach in far north Queensland, where she visited her family in Cairns for Christmas last year.

Her World Cup heroics on home soil last year confirmed her status as a genuine superstar – and with Matildas captain Sam Kerr out of action in Paris due to a knee injury, all eyes will be on Fowler.

Not that it will worry her.

Teammate Steph Catley believes ‘the sky is the limit’ for Fowler, who is ready to dazzle the crowd as the Matildas chase an Olympic medal.

‘I get a huge kick out of it when I can assist the team by scoring a goal or getting an assist. As an offensive player, that’s my role,” Fowler said.

‘I think it’s even more special to be able to do that on a big stage, in a big tournament, with friends and family watching.

“When I imagine myself at the Olympics, that’s what I’m rehearsing for myself.”