Kyah's Story
Fast Facts
Sport: Football
Event: Women's
Olympic History: Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020
Coach: Tony Gustavsson
Year Born: 1991
State Born: NSW
About Kyah
After her first football training session, a hyperactive eight-year-old Kyah Simon from Quakers Hill in New South Wales told her mum she would represent her country on the Olympic stage some day.
She made her debut for the Australian women’s senior team aged 16 in August 2007, with her first goal for the Matildas coming one year later against Brazil. At the 2010 Asian Cup, Kyah scored the winning goal in the penalty shootout to award Australia its first ever Asian Championship.
Kyah appeared at the 2011 World Cup where she scored both of Australia’s goals in a 2-1 win over Norway, to secure her side’s progression to the quarter-finals and also become the first Indigenous Australian ever to score a goal in a World Cup tournament.
She was again selected as part of the Matildas’ 2015 World Cup squad, where Kyah coolly converted a rebounding save from Brazilian goalkeeper Luciana after an initial shot from teammate Lisa de Vanna to help Australia progress to the quarter-finals.
At Rio 2016 Kyah played in all three group games for the Matildas, scoring a goal in Australia’s 6-1 win against Zimbabwe. In the quarter-final against Brazil the Matildas fell to the hosts in a penalty shootout.
Her club career has included stints in Australia, America and Europe - with the Sydney native having accumulated three W-League Championships between Sydney FC (2009, 2013) and Melbourne City (2018).
At Tokyo 2020 Kyah and the Matildas made all of Australia proud in putting together a historic achievement.
Their fourth place finish, which was nearly a podium finish after a 4-3 loss to the USA in the bronze medal game, is the highest ever finish by the Matildas at an Olympic Games.
In 2021 Kyah notched up more than 100 appearances for the Matildas and has spent almost half of her life playing for Australia.
She became the ninth Australian to play 100 games for the Matildas and is the first Indigenous footballer to reach the milestone.
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