Sydney, June 2 (IANS) Football Australia (FA) has appointed Joe Montemurro as the new head coach of the women’s national team, the Matildas.

FA on Monday officially unveiled Montemurro as the 15th permanent head coach of the Matildas, concluding a 10-month search.

The 55-year-old Australian joins the national team from French giants Lyon, where he led the club to the domestic league title and the UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals, reports Xinhua.

Prior to his tenure at Lyon, Montemurro won league titles with the women’s teams of Juventus, Arsenal and Melbourne City.

“Joe brings world-class experience, a deep understanding of the Australian football landscape, and a genuine connection to our national identity,” Heather Garriock, interim chief executive of FA, said in a statement.

She added that Montemurro brings an “unparalleled understanding” of what it takes to succeed at the top level of modern football, along with a proven ability to build high-performing teams.

Speaking at a press conference in Sydney, Montemurro said he was “humbled” by the opportunity to shape the next chapter of the women’s national team.

Melbourne-born coach Montemurro began his women’s football coaching career at Melbourne Victory FC and Melbourne City FC. His first taste of success came in the 2015/16 season as he guided City to an undefeated championship-winning season in the A-League Women competition.

He then made history in 2017 as the first Australian to manage Arsenal’s Women’s Team, lifting multiple trophies during his tenure, including the Women’s Super League during the 2018/19 season.

In 2021, Montemurro joined Juventus Women, where success continued to follow as he led them to the Serie A title in the 2021/22 season, several domestic cup triumphs, and a rise in continental competitiveness. 2024 saw him appointed as head coach of European powerhouse Olympique Lyon, where this year he was at the helm as they claimed the 2024/25 domestic league title in France.

His appointment was announced ahead of the Matildas’ friendly match against Argentina in Canberra on Monday night, which will be the final game in charge for interim head coach Tom Sermanni.

It comes 10 months after the departure of previous head coach Tony Gustavsson, who guided Australia to the semifinals of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Montemurro’s first games as Matildas head coach will be a pair of friendlies against Slovenia on June 26 and 28. His first major tournament will be the 2026 Asian Football Confederation Women’s Asian Cup, which will be hosted in Australia.

–IANS

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