I travelled across France in a train to watch the Matildas take on Germany in the portside city of Marseille in their first appearance in Paris 2024. I crossed the bulky shadows of the Pyrenees and descended down toward the Mediterranean sea, the landscape growing arid with rocky peaks blanketed by a patchwork of vineyards as I rounded the coast and into this iconic city.
It was hot, the forest of masts that stood in the port were stationary in the windless afternoon. I wandered the narrow streets lined with brasseries and bakeries, stopping to try a white wine from the local appellation or a pan au chocolate.
But, after all that the Tillies lost. My legs felt like deadweights as I walked into the stadium, the heat sitting on the fans like one of those weighted anxiety blankets. The Tillies played like we all felt: sluggish.
Stade de Marseille is one of the biggest stadiums in Europe and it felt like it. Entire sections of seating were vacant, the Olympics this year struggling to sell out. And to be frank, being here for the Olympics, stopping to relieve myself from the heat with a cold crisp aperol spritz in the afternoon, did feel a little obnoxious. Mothers with children sat on blankets in the street in some areas, people slept on benches surrounded by their belongings as tourists walked right by and climbed aboard a tour boat headed to an offshore island, their white shirts stained with sweat and their red lipstick starting to smear in the afternoon heat.
It felt like a world of affluence and luxury had descended for a moment on a city, and perhaps a country, that is already cracking at the edges with the weight of the cost of living crisis. While I was here, news of France committing to host the 2030 Winter Olympics broke, which does pose the question – if a country can afford to host two Olympics in six years, surely they can afford to find and build houses for everyone.
But back to the game. It felt like the Tillies needed the roar of 80,000 homeground fans to help them keep pace with Germany. The eight-time Euro Cup Champions started a little slow, but got a goal from a corner before half time, and the Matildas, normally feisty, seemed like they just couldn’t answer back. Kyra Cooney-Cross looked sharp from the first whistle and seemed to be the only player who could find some space and speed. While I hate to speak a word of criticism about our Tillies, they do seem to have a problem at times with there being no one there when it’s needed – when Michelle Heyman came on in the last few minutes with fresh legs, she immediately created some opportunities, along with Clare Wheeler, but they seemed to find themselves all alone in the crucial moments.
The crowd made some effort, but it seemed there just weren’t the sheer numbers and wall of noise to pick up the Tillies and help them get over the line. There was an air of dejection outside the stadium when I walked out. The light was still pink and golden on the rocky crest in the distance that you could see from the stadium steps. I sat down in a snack restaurant and ate a baguette-shaped sandwich on my own to reflect on the game and the place. I figured that despite the outcome, the Tillies have more spirit than anything else and all hope is not lost. And in terms of the Games – I think we’re still allowed to find joy in these tough times, but we should use these momentous events to help solve existing problems, not hide or worsen them. That, and the tragic reality that there might not be any snow left on the Alps by the time 2030 rolls around.
The Tillies play The Gambia on Monday July 29 at 3am AEST and will take on the US next Thursday at the same time. They’re going to have come back with some ferocity in their next game in Nice and lift again if they plan to dispel four-time World Champions, USA, a few days later.