CommBank Matildas forward, Holly McNamara, said that she was excited to have the opportunity to play in her adopted home, Melbourne, against Argentina in May.
She spoke to Football Australia Media after it was announced on Thursday morning that the CommBank Matildas would be taking on Argentina in a two-game international series during the May/June Window.
Match One will be played at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne before the team travels to Canberra for the second game in the series.
“It's really exciting,” McNamara said.
“It’ll be a great game facing Argentina at Marvel Stadium. It's a beautiful stadium, great atmosphere, as well as a good opponent. So I'm really looking forward to it.”
The CommBank Matildas have had fantastic success at Marvel Stadium in recent years. Less than two years ago, the team defeated France in a send-off game one week before the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™. Then, in February 2024, they defeated Uzbekistan 10-0 to qualify for Paris 2024™.
Both of those recent games were sell-outs. McNamara was in the stands in February and recalled an electric atmosphere.
“I was there in the crowd, and it was great atmosphere,” she said.
“It was a packed-out stadium, and the fans were amazing. It was a great game to watch. It was a big win for the tillies, but it was great atmosphere.”
Despite growing up in Sydney, McNamara got her start in the A-League Women for Melbourne City in 2021, and she has lived in Victoria’s capital since.
Having an opportunity to play in front of friends and family in her adopted home is something that is incredibly special for the 22-year-old.
“Melbourne is very important in my football journey,” she explained.
“I got given my first opportunity here by Rado [Vidosic] all those years ago and I'm very grateful for the club and for all the staff here at Melbourne [City] that gave me that first opportunity. Hopefully, I can repay them.
“I love Melbourne. It’s my adopted home away from home. I love it here. It's a different lifestyle to back home in Sydney, but everything from the coffee to the lifestyle - I think it's just great down here.”
McNamara’s personal football journey has been full of adversity. She tore her ACL in 2022 after bursting onto the scene and debuting for the CommBank Matildas at the AFC Asian Cup 2022™. Then, after making a successful return at club level, she was forced to go through the gruelling 12-month rehabilitation once again after another ACL tear – her third overall – in late 2023.
It was, therefore an emotional and hard-won return to the national team when she was substituted on against Japan at the SheBelieves Cup in February after being selected on the back of scintillating club form.
“It was a great experience for me going to the SheBelieves Cup,” she said.
“It was some tough opponents, and we didn't get the results that we wanted, but we learned a lot from the tournament, and hopefully we can build on that with these upcoming games.
“I’m very lucky to be rewarded with those call-ups in the last two camps, and I'm very grateful. It's been a long road for me, but I'm very grateful to be given the opportunity, and hopefully I can do well with it.”
She had a simple message to the fans ahead of the games in May – come out and watch.
“We really want to get as many fans out to Marvel Stadium as we can, and really put on a good performance,” she said.
“The last game there was so amazing - a huge win, great atmosphere, and I think the girls really flowed on from that atmosphere and got the big win.
“Hopefully we can get as many people there as we can, and really put on a good performance.”
COMMBANK MATILDAS | MAY/JUNE 2025 | MATCH SCHEDULE
Match One
CommBank Matildas v Argentina
Date: Friday, 30 May 2025
Kick-off: 8.00pm AEST
Venue: Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
TV Broadcast: Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+
Radio Broadcast: ABC Listen App
Tickets: Football Australia Football Account Pre-sale from 10.00am AEDT on Friday, 28 March 2025. General Public On-sale from 4.00pm AEDT on Monday, 31 March 2025. Tickets from Ticketmaster.
Match Two
CommBank Matildas v Argentina
Date: Monday, 2 June 2025
Kick-off: 7.30pm AEST
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
TV Broadcast: Paramount+ exclusive
Radio Broadcast: ABC Listen App
Tickets: Football Australia Football Account Pre-sale from 10.00am AEDT on Monday, 31 March 2025. General Public On-sale from 4.00pm AEDT on Tuesday, 1 April 2025. Tickets from Ticketek.
