New Matildas coach wants 'a great brand of football'

Joe Montemurro was confirmed as the Australian women's football team's new coach on June 2 and handed the task of leading the Matildas to the Women's Asian Cup title on home soil in 2026.

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SYDNEY - Joe Montemurro was confirmed as the Australian women's football team's new coach on June 2 and handed the task of leading the Matildas to the Women's Asian Cup title on home soil in 2026.

The 55-year-old Australian moves from Lyon Women to replace Tom Sermanni, who has held the role on a caretaker basis since Tony Gustavsson departed in the wake of the disappointing Olympic campaign at Paris 2024.

The Matildas have established themselves as one of Australia's most popular sports teams but despite runs to the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the Women's World Cup on home soil two years later, silverware has been sparse.

Serial winner Montemurro, who said the appointment was the "honour of a lifetime", will be expected to change all that.