The Matildas are on the hunt for a new head coach after Football Australia (FA) announced that Tony Gustavsson’s contract would not be renewed, bringing an end to months of speculation. Gustavsson’s four-year tenure as head coach concluded following Australia’s early exit from the Paris 2024 Olympics, where the team failed to progress beyond the group stage for the first time in 24 years.
FA confirmed in a statement that the decision to part ways was mutual, ending an up-and-down period under the Swedish coach. The 50-year-old’s future had been a hot topic since last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, where he was linked with the Swedish men’s national team and the U.S. women’s team. However, Gustavsson chose to fulfill the final year of his contract with Australia, only to see the Matildas’ Olympic hopes dashed by a 2-1 loss to the U.S. in the group stage on Thursday.
Matildas
Australia held out hope of advancing to the quarterfinals in France as one of the best third-place finishers, but results from other groups did not favor them. Gustavsson, who previously led the Matildas to fourth-place finishes at both the Tokyo Olympics and the 2023 Women’s World Cup, faced growing criticism over his tactics and team selections in recent times.
In a statement, Gustavsson reflected on his time with the team, saying, “It has been a great honour and privilege to have been the head coach of the Matildas over the past four years. This journey with the team has had many incredible moments and memories that I will forever treasure.”
As the Matildas begin their search for a new head coach, the focus will be on finding a leader who can build on the foundation laid by Gustavsson and guide the team to greater success on the international stage.
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