Murphy: As soon as the whistle blew, I felt right at home

Nineteen-year-old Victorian, Alana Murphy, said that she was still wrapping her head around her whirlwind CommBank Matildas debut against the United States, which was an incredibly special moment for both her and her family.

The midfielder became CommBank Matilda #235 on Monday morning (AEDT) when she was substituted on in the second half.

“A group was sent down to warm up, and I wasn’t in that, but I was told to join a couple of minutes later,” she recalled of the moment she debuted.

“I hadn’t felt nervous at all until I was warming up, and then when Tim [Knight, head of strength and conditioning] told me to run down to the halfway line, I think that’s when it really hit me.

“I got a few last-minute tactics and advice from assistant coaches, then had a quick chat with Tom [Sermanni], and I was ready to go on.

“It’s pretty special. I think I’m still wrapping my head around it, but I’ve gotten a lot of nice messages from my family and friends, so it’s rewarding.”

She admitted it was “pretty stressful” in the moments leading up to her debut, but once she was on the pitch, her footballing instincts came to the fore.

“I felt nervous in that moment, just on the halfway line, waiting for it to happen,” she said.

“But as soon as I was out there and the whistle blew and we started playing again, I felt right at home.”

Murphy has experienced international football at age group level throughout her footballing journey. She knew, however, that the jump to senior international football would be a massive step up from what she had encountered in the past.

She leaned on the support of her experienced teammates at Melbourne Victory to find out what to expect.

“I spoke to Emily Gielnik before coming in, at [Melbourne Victory] training,” she said.

“She gave me the idea that it was a bit like, sink or swim – you step up to the occasion. That’s what I’ve been thinking about coming into training and the game.

“The pace of the game is obviously a step-up – the pace of everything, the speed of the passing, the speed of the people around you.

“Something that I hadn’t really experienced before last night was being on the field with the fans being loud… trying to yell so loud that everyone around you can hear you. That was something new for me.”

Murphy arrived in camp as an injury replacement for Clare Wheeler. It meant that she had very little time to prepare before she was on a plane to the United States.

“I found out on the Tuesday and left the next Monday,” she explained.

“With six days, I didn’t really have too much time to process it. But that’s how it is in international football.

“You can only imagine what it’s like coming into a camp, but being in here is a whole different ball game. It makes you hungry for more.”

Every player who makes it to this stage has a whole army of friends and family who have supported them along the journey.

Murphy reflected on how her CommBank Matildas debut was not just for her, but for those who had supported her along the way.

“It’s rewarding for me, yes, but also for my family, and the sacrifices that they made to get me here,” she said.

The teenager has now joined a group of special players who have represented their country on the world stage.

“There are so many incredible names in that list,” she said, remarking on the 234 CommBank Matildas who came before her.

“I don’t take it lightly now that I’m on that list, so I’m really grateful for that.”

CommBank Matildas v ColombiaDate: Wednesday, 26 February 2025 (local) / Thursday, 27 February (AEDT)Kick-off: 4.37 pm PST (local) / 11.37 am (AEDT)Venue: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego (CA) Broadcast: Paramount+Tickets: ussoccer.com/shebelieves/cup