All eyes are on the Matildas tonight for one of the biggest moments in sporting history.
With a record-breaking 1.4 million tickets sold, the Women’s World Cup team face up against Ireland at Sydney’s Olympic Park.
Today Christian interviewed national treasure and the voice of sport in Australia, Bruce McAvaney.
Listen to the full interview on The Christian O’Connell Show, streaming now on iHeart:
Describing the fervour around Women’s soccer he’s observed in Sydney, McAvaney said “it’s the closest thing I’ve felt to what the Olympics were about in 2000.”
“It’s been a huge buildup. We’ve got a team that’s much admired and I think loved.”
On the recent cancellation of Victoria’s 2026 Commonwealth Games, McAvaney said “it leaves a really bad taste” and damages Melbourne’s international reputation, while reminiscing on the huge success of Melbourne’s Commonwealth Games in 2006.
“It’s played such an important part not just in the history of Australian atheletics and sport but also in bringing the Commonwealth together”.
In recent years, McAvaney has taken a step back from our screens and regular commentary and Christian wonders, does he miss it?
“It’s not easy and it happens to everybody, but there is a stage in your career where you have to cut back a bit.”
“Life’s good, I’m still getting so much buzz out of it, but I’m not the bloke I was 30 years ago.”
After tonight’s match, the Matildas face Canada in the Women’s World Cup, 31 July in Melbourne.
