Kyra Cooney-Cross is the Matildas midfielder who became a household name along with the rest of her team-mates during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
An entire nation cheered the Matildas on as they battled through the rounds of the high-profile series, held in front of sellout crowds across Australia and New Zealand in July and August 2023.
While most people had heard of high-profile team captain Sam Kerr, the Matildas march towards the semis turned non-football fans into fans.
Suddenly, everyone wants to know just who these insanely talented women were.
Here’s all we know about Kyra Cooney-Cross, one of the quiet achievers helping to create that special “Matildas magic”.
Where did Kyra Cooney-Cross grow up?
All over the place! Cooney-Cross, 22, had a very nomadic childhood.
She was borrn in Brisbane and raised in Coolum on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Her father, Jai, was a semi-professional footballer for Sunshine Coast Fire; when Kyra was little, her mum Jessica signed her up to the Soccer Squirts program and she showed early promise in the sport.
When her parents split up, Cooney-Cross moved with her mum and aunt to Alice Springs for three years. They then moved to Ballarat, and eventually to Melbourne, where at 14 Cooney-Cross joined the Junior Matildas.
Does Kyra Cooney-Cross have siblings?
Yes, she has three younger sisters, Mia, Shani and Mali.
Who does Kyra Cooney-Cross play for?
Kyra Cooney-Cross plays for Australia’s national football team, The Matildas.
She began her professional career at just 15, playing for Melbourne Victory.
From there she was signed to Swedish football club Hammarby IF before moving to the UK and joining Arsenal in the Women’s Super League in late 2023.
How much does Kyra Cooney-Cross earn?
When the 22-year-old joined Arsenal, she signed a contract for $272,000 a year, joining fellow Aussies Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley on the team.
‘’I’m so excited to join this club,’’ she said in September 2023 after signing. “Arsenal just felt right as soon as I heard about the interest.”
Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall described Cooney-Cross as ‘’one of the best young players in world football.’’
‘’We firmly believe she will be an excellent addition to our midfield,” he said.
What has Kyra Cooney-Cross say about ‘Matildas fever’?
Cooney-Cross has described herself as a bit of an introvert and is taking her time to get used to the attention of the media and the wider public.
‘’I would say I’m very introverted until I get comfortable,’’ she told The Sydney Morning Herald in February 2024.
‘’Sometimes, if I know I have to do an interview the next day, I won’t sleep.
“But having to play in front of 75,000 people tomorrow doesn’t stress me out. During the (2023) World Cup I definitely wasn’t stressed, I just played – the World Cup was the best experience.’’
Who is Kyra Cooney-Cross dating?
Cooney-Cross has kept her personal life to herself, so it is not known who she is dating, if anyone.
Fans have long speculated that Cooney-Cross is in a relationship with fellow Matildas player Courtney Nevin but it’s not a relationship that has ever been confirmed. The pair are good friends and share a long sporting history together – they both played for Swedish club Hammarby IF.
What has Kyra Cooney-Cross said about the Paris Olympics?
Paris will be the Matildas midfielder’s second Olympic Games – not bad for a 22-year-old!
‘’When I was in Tokyo I only just got into the team, I was pretty fresh,’’ she said in an interview of the official Matildas website (the team just missed out on a medal in Tokyo, placing fourth).
‘’(We were) just like – we’re so close to winning a medal. And now it gets frustrating. We just want a medal, we are that close.
‘’So yeah, when we get to Paris, we’re just going to work as hard as we can.
“We’ve got a really tough group but we’re going to give out best and we’re going to get that medal.’’
