Matildas condemn radio host’s comments about Australian women’s footballers

The Australian women’s international football team have joined in the heavy criticism of a commercial radio host’s widely condemned comments about the side.

The Matildas, after losing to Japan and the United States in the SheBelieves Cup, were the subject of a number of remarks by comedian and host Marty Sheargold on his Triple M radio programme.

Among other things, he described the players as high schoolers with “all the infighting and all the friendship issues”, and asked his co-hosts if they had “any men’s sports” to talk about.

“There’s something wrong with the Matildas. They had that wonderful tournament out here where we all fell in love with them, even though they didn’t make the quarters,” Sheargold said, referring to the 2023 World Cup where Australia reached the semi-finals at home.

Rosie Malone, who played field hockey for Australia, posted an edited version of Sheargold’s comments on social media, describing them as “disgusting” and “horrendous”.

She posted: “It’s 2025 and something like this is being aired on prime-time radio.

“I heard this on the radio yesterday – on the way to training and all I could think about was the young girls sitting in the car with their parents, maybe on the way to or from their own training sessions hearing this.

“I’m sure many of them would have been hurt and confused. I was in disbelief.”

Matildas players Alex Chidiac and Clare Wheeler responded to Malone’s Instagram post, with Chidiac saying she was “so sick” of such commentary and Wheeler saying “sport is for everyone and these views are for no-one”.

The Football Federation Australia said: “Such remarks not only diminish the extraordinary achievements and contributions of our women’s national football team but also fail to recognize the profound impact they have had on Australian sport and society.”

“The Matildas have inspired a new generation of Australians … who now see a future for themselves in football and sport more broadly.

“They have broken barriers, set new standards, and elevated the game to unprecedented heights. Their success has been instrumental in transforming women’s sport in Australia, and they deserve to be covered with the respect and professionalism they have earned.”

Australia’s sports minister, Anika Wells, described the comments as “boorish, boring, wrong” and football’s national players’ union said “it is important such ignorance does not go unchecked”.

Professional Footballers Australia chief executive Beau Busch said the “comments were disgusting, pathetic and deeply misogynistic, showing a complete lack of respect for women’s sport and football as a whole.

“The Matildas have inspired countless Australians as players and fans. To diminish their achievements — or women’s sport more broadly — is not just insulting but shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the importance of our sport in this country.”

The Triple M network said the comments did not “align with its views and values”, and Sheargold also issued an apology.

“Any comedy, including mine, can miss the mark sometimes, and I can see why people may have taken offence at my comments regarding the Matildas. I sincerely apologise,” Sheargold said.