- Mary Fowler has opened up about her private life
- Star's fame has increased enormously this year
- Fowler insists she still has her feet on the ground
Mary Fowler may be Australia's second most Googled star of 2023, but she insists she's still down to earth despite an incredible year.
Life has moved fast for the attacking genius of international powerhouse Manchester City.
Although she can still walk the streets in Britain without being recognized by most people, it's a very different story back home, where Fowler is swarmed by adoring fans at the Rise & Shine Kindergarten in Carlton, in the south of Sydney.
And Fowler has admitted that this newfound attention certainly hasn't escaped her notice, revealing that the spotlight has been “overwhelming.”
“It absolutely overwhelmed me,” Fowler said. 'I don't like to get a lot of attention in general. So if you're in the media a lot or have to do a lot of things that are in the spotlight, it can be quite overwhelming at times.
Mary Fowler has opened up about her private life during her best year yet
Fowler's fame has soared after her starring role at the Women's World Cup
'I think all this has made me enjoy my private affairs even more. Because I have to do a lot of media and see fans, it's so different than a year ago.
'Personally speaking, I have tried to connect with myself a lot more. I tell myself, “These are the opinions of people I really care about.”
“And I tell myself, 'Decide who you want to be,' instead of reading too much about what other people want me to be.”
“That was a personal little bump that I had to get over. But I always try to see the other side of it.
'There are so many people who support and follow us, that just wouldn't have happened a few years ago. It's great to see and that's an honor for the girls, that they can play so well when there weren't always the opportunities that a player like me has now.'
Fowler lives in north-west England and says she enjoys the anonymity when traveling around the city of Manchester.
'I feel like a normal twenty-year-old. “I'm no different than the girl next to me on the tram,” she said, even as the city's nightlife passes her by.
“I much prefer quality time to going out,” she admitted.
Her life off the field was also in the spotlight during a romance with Nathan Cleary
But Fowler says she enjoys the relative anonymity of playing football in Manchester
During her preschool appearance, questions about her budding romance with Nathan Cleary were off limits after she reunited with her NRL boyfriend at Sydney airport.
In scenes reminiscent of hit Christmas film Love Actually, Cleary greeted Fowler with a kiss as she returned to Australia for the holidays.
Cleary, 26, had a big smile as he picked up his 21-year-old girlfriend from the arrivals hall after she landed from Dubai.
Fowler wore light blue jeans, a button-up shirt and a black hat for her long-haul flight, while Cleary wore black shorts and a brown T-shirt.
It was the first time the loved-up couple had seen each other since November 2, when Cleary said goodbye to his girlfriend at Perth Airport after watching her score in the Matildas' 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei.