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From Dudley Redhead United junior to Australia’s most capped star: Emily van Egmond makes history
From starting out as a junior at Dudley Redhead United to becoming a record-breaking figure on the international stage, Emily van Egmond’s journey is the stuff of dreams.
Van Egmond, a Northern NSW Football product, officially became the most capped Australian footballer of all time on Tuesday evening, when the Matildas took on China PR in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 semi-final.
Van Egmond became Matilda #172 on March 6 2010, when she took the field against Korea DPR.
She played her first major tournament the following year, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011, where she became the second youngest goalscorer in Women’s World Cup history against Equatorial Guinea.
Van Egmond: Sharing your career with your best mates is special
CommBank Matildas midfielder Emily van Egmond reflected on her special career after becoming the most-capped national team player against China PR on Tuesday evening.
She was speaking after the team’s 2-1 semi-final victory where they secured their place in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026™ final. Van Egmond came off the bench in the second half to make her 170th appearance for the side.
“A lot of us have grown up together from a young age,” she said.
“What makes this team quite unique is the friendships that we've formed from a young age now, and to be able to share your career with some of your best mates is really special. I couldn't be more proud to become the most capped player alongside this group of girls.”
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From father to daughter: the most beautiful Matildas tribute you’ll read to celebrate Australian sporting history
“Come on, dad,” Gary van Egmond recalls his daughter, Emily, saying as a child.
“It was always her saying to me, come and have a kick – I was looking forward to watching sport on Fox Sports or something like that on TV!
“We’d go down to the netball courts and it was a case of, all right, we’ve got to hit the pole.
“And I remember the first time we did it, I think it took us nearly two and a half hours.
In one beautiful anecdote you get a little snapshot of some of the special qualities that have led Emily van Egmond to 169 Matildas caps, on the cusp of standing on her own as the most capped Australian international footballer when the Matildas face China in the Women’s Asian Cup semi final in Perth on Tuesday night.
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