South Australia has another Westfield Matilda, as Dylan Holmes made her debut for the national side against The Netherlands on Tuesday night.
Dylan Holmes became Westfield Matilda #209 as she was introduced at the interval in a 5-0 defeat to The Netherlands in Nijmegan last night.
Five different Dutch goalscorers struck in a game where Tony Gustavsson's side showed plenty of positive signs, however were ultimately unable to find a way past the world's fourth-ranked side.
The former Adelaide United captain has had quite the eventful year, wearing the armband for Adelaide United, signing with Swedish champions BK Hachen and being called up to the national side last week.
On the call-up, Dylan said.
I am so excited to have been called up to the Westfield Matildas for the first time. I have grown up watching Matilda's achieve incredible things on the world stage, and inspire a generation of female footballers, so I feel really honoured to be called up and am really looking forward to being in that environment and learning as much as I possibly can.
Dylan's football journey is one that took her all across the globe. Born in Brazil in 1997, she moved to California, USA with parents Anne and Steve, and played indoor football at the age of four.
She then started her outdoor journey playing with male teams as a child in Chile and Peru.
The Holmes family made the long trip to Australia in 2007, making Adelaide their home, where Dylan settled and joined local side Cumberland United in 2007, before being selected to be a State Representative in 2011. Dylan shone and was selected to be a part of the Football SA NTC Program in 2012 for two years.
In 2014 Dylan made her Adelaide United Women debut at 17, where she played with the then known Lady Reds for two seasons. The same year, Dylan was selected as a Young Matilda, representing Australia in Vietnam where she had to sit two exams remotely during the tournament.
In 2015 she played for WNPLSA side Fulham United for two years, before signing with Paul Pezo's Adelaide City in 2017. She won 3x WNPLSA Championships, 2x Premierships and 4x Cups with the Black & Whites.
Her outstanding performances at the local level caught the eyes of Adelaide United W-League Coach Adrian Stenta, who selected and named Dylan his captain earlier this year.
Her mother Anne, always had the belief her daughter would reach the big stage.
"It's a bit surreal but we are over the moon for Dylan. It was always in the back our mind that she could be selected for the Matildas and we are all thrilled for her."
So, what's next for Dylan?
With the recent announcement with Adelaide being named as a host city for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, Dylan has eyes for coming home and playing in front of her friends and family.
"Adelaide being named as a host city for the 2023 World Cup is incredible. Coopers Stadium is a footballing venue that holds a special place in the Australian football landscape, and to see some of the best footballers in the world play there will be amazing.
I can't wait to see Adelaide get right behind the World Cup and I can't wait to see the lasting impacts it will have for women's football in South Australia.
To wear the green and gold at the World Cup on home soil would be absolute honour and dream come true."
Football South Australia and the football community would like to congratulate Dylan on her debut appearance for The Matildas.