The Matildas are grappling with a tough defeat after their Asian Cup final loss to Japan on Saturday night, compounded by a stark reminder of the significant pay disparity with their male counterparts.

In Sydney’s Stadium Australia, Sam Kerr and her team suffered a narrow 1-0 loss due to a spectacular first-half goal by Maika Hamano.

In the aftermath, it has come to light that the Australian team members will each receive only $8,660 for their second-place finish, a stark contrast to the $51,824 each Socceroo would have earned for the same position in the 2023 Men’s Asian Cup.

Adding to the disappointment is the concern that the current ‘golden generation’ of Matildas may miss out on securing a major title, as several key players are nearing the latter stages of their careers.

Their pursuit of a major trophy will extend into its 17th year, with the Women’s World Cup in Brazil still 15 months away.

Sam Kerr(third from right) and her teammates are gutted after their loss in Saturday night’s Asian Cup final

Hayley Raso (pictured) and her teammates will earn just $8660 each for coming second in the tournament. Had the Socceroos done the same in the 2023 Men’s Asian Cup, they would have pocketed $51,824 apiece

Alanna Kennedy, who shone as the tournament’s standout player with five goals from the midfield, has been part of this series of near misses, including their semi-final exits at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Logic would suggest the door is closing on the current line-up as some of the squad’s biggest names approach the twilight of their careers.

However, coach Joe Montemurro is adamant the talent is there for Australia to remain competitive even if an established cohort headlined by Kerr, Katrina Gorry, Steph Catley, Kennedy and Emily van Egmond will be the wrong side of 35 at the next Asian Cup in four years’ time. 

Montemurro has already shown faith in Kaitlyn Torpey and Winonah Heatley at this tournament, while Amy Sayer, who didn’t play in Saturday’s final, appears ready to be a regular starter in Brazil next year.

‘I know Courtney Nevin made a couple of mistakes (against South Korea), but she’s playing at Malmö in the Champions League,’ Montemurro said.

‘We’ve got that next core with Mary Fowler, with Kyra (Cooney-Cross), with Ellie (Carpenter). Wini Heatley has become a world-class defender in three games, so it’s exciting.’

Depth, however, remains an issue for the Matildas.

Which is why Montemurro also wants to have greater involvement in the tactical direction of Australia’s junior national teams to ensure would-be Matildas are ready to make an instant impact at senior level.

The hard-fought loss to Japan means the ‘golden generation’ of Matildas could go without winning a major piece of silverware (Sam Kerr pictured)

Stars like Kerr, Alanna Kennedy (pictured) and Steph Catley will be on the wrong side of 35 when the next Asian Cup rolls around

‘We’re trying to just spread this little Joe Montemurro, if you want to call it that, all over the national team spectrum,’ Montemurro said.

‘The thing for me is to make sure that our mentality is this type of football, the way we want to play.

‘We want to dominate games, obviously, because that’s what the best teams in the world are doing. So can we dominate games like Japan?

‘Probably not, but we can find a way where we can have control with the ball, but also find ways without it.’