Matilda Effect

by Fiona Crawford

The Matilda Effect is the exciting, inspiring, sometimes infuriating and always colourful story of the Australian women's football (soccer) team, the Matildas, and their ultimately successful struggle, alongside other women from around the world, to compete in World Cup football. From the 1980s, when women had to pay to participate in the pilot Women's World Cup, to 2019, when the principle of equal pay for women players was finally accepted amid surging interest in their game, the voices of key figures emerge. A book at once about and not about sport, and with a throughline of human rights and gender equality history, The Matilda Effect takes the reader out of the stands and onto the pitch, into the team's hotels, buses, boardrooms and social media universe, where positive change has been wrestled into being.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Soccer, Football

312 pages, Paperback

Published May 30, 2023

Reviews

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in the week following surgery for an ACL reconstruction, an injury I got during a soccer game right before propping it up to watch the Matildas knock out France on penalties in the World Cup. I'm not one for sports biographies or sports history so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed each chapter - maybe because I AM one for reading about women fighting for recognition and equality, and it is brilliant to see the types of strides this team have made in a relatively short time. The many anecdotes of women in sport winning one over the men standing in their way were satisfying to read.
I'm also a very recent fan so it was great to learn about previous tournaments, results, matches - even specific goals - that got me onto YouTube to watch (where the footage exists!)

I also found it oddly reassuring that every chapter seemed to mention at least one ACL injury (usually because it was often alongside a note of how it had challenged but not prevented their return to the game) but also incredibly alarming.

I was disappointed it had been published before the 2023 World Cup because I'm keen to read some analysis of the effect that that has had - but perhaps it's too soon to put down an account of that just yet...

In any case, I can very much recommend it for anyone who might find themselves in a similar position to me, needing some cheering up, reassurance, and inspiration to recover well from an injury and get back into the game! It was just what I needed.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read. I’m not a great fan of non fic so that combined with my limited understanding of soccer is largely the reason for my rating. I found it a little dry at times but ultimately had some incredible history that helped me understand how we got to where we are today.

The Matilda’s always have and always will be badass, and while it’s hard to hear what the early girls had to put up with it’s awe inspiring to see where the team is now.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one, for a person who isn’t massively into football. But what I am into is sport, and the battles women’s teams have had to go through to get anywhere near parity. The way this book weaves the narrative of women’s sport’s emerging mainstream recognition in around World Cups means the arc is always moving forward. Also loved the spotlighting of the referees - gotta respect the match officials. Plenty of NZ / Football Ferns content for a book based on the Matildas too 🇳🇿

Shouldn’t have taken me this long to read as I really enjoyed it each time I picked it up, but that’s the theme of this reading year!

[Hillsullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this just in time for my sister. I was in Australia during the World Cup and found this book at the airport. I looked up online and it was suppose to be available in the states in Sept 2023, so I ordered. Then it was not available til Oct. I thought - well maybe they are adding a chapter due to results of 2023, but no. That is ok. The book gave me a lot. There is women's equality on and off the playing field or pitch, how to grow a new sport that is international in a new country and try to raise to a level of competitive. I found it funny the Australians ate Soceroos and Matildas yet the US is the USNWT. US needs a better name !

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5
Deep insight into the history of the matildas! There was a lot to learn for me and the book offered a lot of in depth information about the team, certain players and their story and members of the overall team. Moreover, it also dealt with the history of New Zealand's women's football team, which was interesting as well.
I know the book is non-fictional. However, it felt extremely text book worthy and it was tiring at some parts of the story to continue reading. Shorter chapters, subhead lines and more paragraphs could help with that.

[Sophie W · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Matilda Effect’s premise is that women’s scientific contributions have been forgotten, omitted or misattributed to the nearest male”.

I don’t profess to be the biggest Football fan in the world, but I wanted to read this ahead of the World Cup in Sydney and I’m so glad I did. Obviously not surprised by the discrimination women face or disparity in pay/media coverage but glad to see that the tide is turning!

I made around 20 highlights, I don’t know why Kindle isn’t syncing them :(

[CoffeePaperYarn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched & heavy on facts; interesting reading and great to know more about the original Matildas and their experiences.

[Angus Madner · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to learning more about the history of the Matildas and I guess I did that but unfortunately, the book just wasn't written by a talented sportswriter. So many sentences were phrased in a way that was just unnecessarily wordy or complicated, there were almost no dramatic retellings of important matches and the book jumped back and forwards in time seemingly randomly making it difficult to follow any compelling comprehensive narrative.
Of the 2015 World Cup match against the USWNT, Crawford says: "They opened their 'Group of Death' campaign strongly against eventual winners the United States, giving them an almighty scare before going down in a result not befitting the close contest: 3-1". The phrases 'almighty scare' and 'result not befitting the close contest' both suggest that a dramatic retelling of the match and its highlights would be an entertaining and worthwhile paragraph of the book to have but the above quote is all we get. In fact almost every important match is summarised with just the result; '2-0 win over Nigeria', '1-1 draw with Sweden'.
To any one who wants to learn more about the Matildas: scroll through some players WikiPedia pages or watch some World Cup highlights on YouTube but don't waste your time with this book like I did.

[Ellen Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me fall even more in love with the tillies, and gain a new appreciation of the generations that came before - how gruelling, thankless, under-appreciated, and underpaid the work was for them.

I hope the game gets to the stage where, as the author suggests, women can play football completely and professionally and not have to double as political advocates to fight for things the men’s teams have had for decades.

How we as a country approach women’s football is indicative of how we approach entrenched sexism & human rights issues more broadly - so let’s ensure that women have the same opportunities, resources, support, and experiences that men have had since forever.

[Jim Sheedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly readable and insightful. Reminded me of the trials and tribulations of many other women's sport issues in Australia. As well as the individual challenges faced by the athletes, referees and administrators it also looks at the larger social issues impacting who has power and influence. Recommend for a wide variety or readers interested in the individual issues, the big issues or a good Australian story well told.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well researched, however I found it easier to put down than keep reading, hence the time it took me to get through. (Simultaneously reading other books, of course) Probably because of that fact, I couldn't keep track of people's names and places so well.
Overall, I gained an understanding of the slog and setbacks that women through the decades endured to bring us women's football, the Matildas. What we see, is only the tip of the iceberg.

[Cheyenne Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a late-to-the-party Matildas fan (indeed, soccer fan) this was fascinating, if a bit dry in places. Still very much enjoyed it.

[Azzm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explores the history women's football in Australia with it's many success stories and also the battles it took to establish the team.