Shepparton’s Fiorina Iaria earns tap for Young Matildas training camp

By Liam Nash

Aug 23, 2023

Waltzing on in: Former GV Suns jet Fiorina Iaria has earned a call up to a Young Matildas training camp. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

Fiorina Iaria is almost like every other Matildas fan off the back of the Women’s World Cup hype.

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The main difference is she’s well on her way to becoming one of her heroes.

Iaria, 16, is in Sydney after being called up to a Young Matildas training camp preparing for the AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup in Uzbekistan next year.

To put it into perspective, the Shepparton starlet was chosen as one of the 28 best young talents across the nation to partake in the six-day jaunt.

However, the fashion in which she found out about the call up was comical.

“I was in class and a random number started calling, so then I just left it,” she said.

“Mum calls me after school and goes ‘did you just get that number’ and I go ‘yeah’.

“She said to make sure I answered it right away. I called them back and that’s when they told me I was identified (for the camp).”

Yes, Iaria screened a call from the national team.

But realistically, the left winger’s prowess had her on the radar of Young Matildas’ head coach Leah Blayney well before the phone faux pas.

Iaria took out last year’s National Premier League under-19 golden boot with 22 goals for Calder United and life in Calder’s first team this season has been sweet for the teen sensation.

“The season has gone really good, I scored in my debut for the seniors,” she said.

“I got on in the 70th minute and scored against Southern United, then I scored the second game against Boroondara and then I scored against Heidelberg.”

Not a bad start in the state’s top flight for someone who can’t even drive by herself yet.

Iaria’s ability was first discovered at Goulburn Valley Suns in 2019 where she played with the boys.

Kicking around with the opposite sex is common in regional areas void of female talent pathways, so a move to Calder United ― a huge travel commitment ― came next.

The circuit breaker to trip her onto the national scene then arrived last month as she was selected for Victoria in the NTC Challenge.

July’s tournament pitted Australia’s brightest under-18 female footballers against each other in a talent showcase, watched by the scrupulous eyes of Football Australia and Australian National Team selectors.

“We did all right, it was very close with all the other teams; it was only 1-0 wins or losses or draws,” she said.

“The only team we beat that was a really good (win), ACT, we beat them 5-0 or something like that.

“I got a lot of assists, I didn’t score a goal unfortunately, but that’s all right. I still got other people goals.

“I think I did really well ― that was a great experience to be in.”

For such a blindingly talented kid, Iaria is as humble as pie.

Landing in Sydney on Monday and training through until Saturday, she hasn’t quite been swept up in the occasion of what she’s achieved yet.

“It’s gone really good. It’s a good opportunity to be here,” she said.

“The hotel is really nice and the fields are really good.

“The equipment is there for everybody to use, like foam rollers and that. They’re definitely taking care of us.”

It’s all “good” in Iaria’s world at the moment and rightly so.

When speaking to The News a year ago aged 15 at the time, she sternly voiced her goal of making it to the Matildas one day.

So when asked if throwing on the national team colours ― though only in training ― had galvanised her ambition, there was only one answer.