Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold reveals the very surprising – and chilling – Aussie tune that was the ‘team anthem’ at the World Cup
Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold reveals the very surprising – and chilling – Aussie tune that was the ‘team anthem’ at the World Cup
- Mackenzie Arnold has unveiled the Matildas World Cup campaign soundtrack
- The team played Nikki Webster’s Strawberry Kisses before the games
- Australia will take on Denmark next week for a place in the quarter-finals
Matildas’ World Cup journey is set to the tune of Nikki Webster’s 2001 hit Strawberry Kisses, goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold has revealed.
Tony Gustavsson’s team is aiming for a place in the quarter-finals of the competition, but faces a tough challenge in Denmark on Monday evening.
The squad is in a high spirits after their 4-0 demolition of Canada in Melbourne this week, and they were filmed singing their team anthem on their way back to their base in Queensland.
And now Arnold has revealed that Aussie pop singer Webster’s dismal hit song from 22 years ago is the soundtrack to their campaign.
When asked what song the team is playing before kickoff, the stopper said, “There’s Strawberry Kisses by Nikki Webster.
Mackenzie Arnold has revealed the soundtrack for Matildas’ World Cup campaign
The team listens to Nikki Webster’s Strawberry Kisses before the game
‘I don’t know where that came from. I think it was actually Steph Catley’s favorite song and now we’ve all jumped on the bandwagon.”
She then joked, “Would you like my Spotify account while you’re at it?”
Back to business on the pitch, and Arnold insists she won’t be affected by a crackdown on goalkeepers distracting penalty takers as the last 16 game turns to a shootout.
Arnold featured in a shootout against Thailand in the 2018 Asian Cup semi-finals and is confident she can repeat those exploits if needed in Monday’s round of 16 against Denmark or later in the tournament.
“I don’t feel much pressure with penalties, I feel quite comfortable,” said Arnold.
“I’ve been involved in a couple of high-level penalties with the Asian Cup and luckily with success.
“Historically we haven’t been very good with penalties, luck was usually not on our side.
“But we practiced and I talked to my coaches to get little things right before penalties. But we try not to focus too much on that.
“The pressure at that point, it’s a real build-up. So when it comes, it comes. But I feel pretty confident with a penalty shootout.’
Rule changes came into play on July 1, underlining that goalkeepers must not get off their line early and “behave in a manner that unfairly distracts the kicker.”