Soccer: Newcastle duo make final cut for Matildas FIFA World Cup squad

Wheeler and fellow Novocastrian Emily Van Egmond were on Monday named in the 23-player squad for the much-anticipated tournament, which starts in Australia on July 20.

Sam Kerr will captain a Matildas side chock full of stars.

Players were told of their inclusion last Thursday.

"It felt surreal at that point. I told my partner and family and today it's obviously out for everyone now," Wheeler said.

"My first thought was to share it with my dad. In the meeting we briefly spoke about what it meant to me and my first thought was having my dad in the stands, wearing a Wheeler shirt and coming to watch me play for my country at a home World Cup.

"That's something so special, and it's not something I envisioned when I was 10 and took up the sport, but I'm so glad that it's been possible in my career."

Van Egmond was aged 17 when she made her World Cup debut in Germany in 2011, marking her arrival with a goal in a 3-2 win over Equatorial Guinea.

Now, 29, Van Egmond has 130 international caps and 30 goals to her name and will go to a fourth World Cup .

The box-to-box midfielder was part of the team that finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics and is set to play a major role as the Matildas aim for glory on home soil.

The Matildas have reached the quarter-finals three times - 2007, 2011 and 2015.

With the majority of the squad, headed by Kerr, playing in Europe and the US and at the peak of their powers, expectations are high.

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Wheeler, 25, is in the early stages of her international career. The Adamstown junior made her Matildas debut against Ireland in 2021.

The Everton midfielder is one of seven Matildas at a maiden World Cup.

"It's very hard to describe that feeling. It's kind of like a, 'Wow', for your dream to come true in that way," she said.

"It's just hard to put into words because you think of your younger self and everything you've gone through to make it to this point. To be told that it's going to happen is incredible."

Both Van Egmond and Wheeler came through the Northern NSW system and played for the Newcastle Jets in the W-League.

The World Cup begins on July 20 with Australia taking on the Republic of Ireland at Stadium Australia. They meet Nigeria in Brisbane on July 27, before closing out pool B against Canada in Melbourne on July 31.

The Matildas finalise preparations with a "send off" friendly against France at Marvel Stadium on July 14.

WORLD CUP SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Mackenzie Arnold, Teagan Micah, Lydia Williams

Defenders: Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Charlotte Grant, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy, Aivi Luik, Courtney Nevin, Clare Polkinghorne

Midfielders: Alex Chidiac, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry, Emily van Egmond, Clare Wheeler, Tameka Yallop

Forwards: Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Sam Kerr, Hayley Raso, Kyah Simon, Cortnee Vine