Clare Wheeler was unused on the bench as Australia finalised their FIFA Women's World Cup preparations with a 1-0 win over France in Melbourne on Friday night, but the Adamstown Rosebud junior is ready to make an impact if and when her moment arrives.
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The defensive midfielder has racked up 14 caps for her country, mostly deployed off the bench, since debuting against the Matildas' first World Cup opponents Republic of Ireland in Dublin on September 21, 2021.
Whether the Newcastle Jets product turned Everton No.6 gets another chance against the world No.22 ranked Irish side at Stadium Australia on Thursday night remains to be seen, but Wheeler plans to make the most of any opportunity that comes her way.
"For myself, the goal is to make an impact," Wheeler told the Newcastle Herald.
"Whether that's winning the ball back or creating an opportunity on goal. If it's starting off, if it's coming on, for me it's just having an impact and helping the team reach the goal, which is winning the World Cup.
"I represent the Matildas first. The name on the back - one player - is not going to win us the World Cup, 23 players are, so I'm just simply looking to make an impact."
Wheeler played seven national league seasons with Newcastle before a starring role for Sydney FC earned her an overseas contract at Danish big guns Fortuna Hjorring and a Matildas call-up in 2021.
A move to Everton and the prestigious Women's Super League followed.
The 25-year-old's football success has been driven first and foremost by a determination to represent Australia.
"That's always been the goal and, when we got told there was going to be a World Cup here in 2023, at the top of the my list was to make sure that I was in that team for that World Cup," she said.
"It was always about making the Matildas before making clubs or anything like that."
Wheeler's first thoughts were of dad Ken when coach Tony Gustavsson named her in his final World Cup squad.
"For me it was really important to have someone like him who wasn't too overbearing with my football and never pushed me to pursue it," Wheeler said.
"It was more something that I learned I wanted to do for myself. He's always been the one to take me to trainings, pick me up, all those hours that maybe go unnoticed that parents have to do. But he knew it was important to me.
"There were definitely times where there was a lot going on at home with my mum passing away, but he held his head strong and I definitely wouldn't be wearing this Matildas jersey at the World Cup without him."
Wheeler was 17 when her mum Kim was diagnosed with cancer, and 19 when she passed away.
"She wasn't a footballer herself, she was still learning football at that time, but I remember I was at the under 20s World Cup and she was watching from hospital ... it definitely drives me," Wheeler said.
"It motivates me because she's a large part of who I am today and she always was a big believer in just having a go and doing what you're passionate about, and I think I can look at her in the eye and tell her that I'm doing that."
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