Matildas jet wins prestigious award after sparkling year

Ellie Carpenter and her Matildas teammates.

Matildas gun Ellie Carpenter has taken out a newly introduced award in recognition of her phenomenal 2023 form in national and club colours and tremendous work at the grassroots level.

The speedy Matildas defender has been announced as the inaugural AFC Asian International Player of the Year (Women) at an awards ceremony in Seoul, South Korea.

The Cowra product starred for the Matildas during the Australian team's exhilarating World Cup campaign on home soil last year, proving a jet in defence as the "Tillies" powered to the semi-finals before ultimately finishing the tournament placed fourth.

Carpenter was also in brilliant touch for Olympique Lyonnais, helping her French club reach the UEFA Women's Champions League final and clinch a record-breaking 17th division-one feminine title.

She was named in both the National Union of Professional Footballers and division-one feminine teams of the season.

Carpenter was also a force off the pitch in 2023 with Football Australia hailing her for "inspiring young players worldwide and raising the profile of Australian football on the international stage".

Lyon is placed second on the table in the ongoing division-one feminine tournament.

Carpenter played for the Matildas in their 2-1 win against Germany, the Paris 2024 bronze medallists, in Duisburg this week.

The Matildas are being coached by Tom Sermanni on an interim basis as Football Australia searches for a permanent replacement for Tony Gustavsson, who parted with the national team after its disastrous Olympic campaign.