Why are the Australian women's football team called the Matildas?

Australia are facing England in the Women's World Cup semi-final today, with both teams trying to get into their first-ever World Cup final.

Playing in the host nation's Stadium Australia in Sydney, from 11am BST, the Matildas (as they are known) will face England's Lionesses and it is expected to be an exciting match given how well both teams have been playing in the tournament.

But those developing an interest in women's football for the first time may be confused as to why Australia's team are called the Matildas as they watch the action unfold.

The history behind the nickname is pretty interesting.

When Australia qualified for their first Women’s World Cup in 1995 they were known as “the Female Socceroos”, referencing the men’s team, a portmanteau of “soccer” and “kangaroos”.

But before the tournament started, the Australian Women’s Soccer Association ran a viewer competition to find a better nickname, with the shortlist including the “Soccertoos”, “Blue Flyers”, “Waratahs”, “Lorikeets” and “Matildas”.

The Matildas, which comes from popular Australian song “Waltzing Matilda”, which is seen as an unofficial national anthem, won the poll and the name stuck.

The song “Waltzing Matilda” tells the story of a person who steals a sheep and is chased by police, and jumps into a pond to escape, but drowns.

Former Australia player Moya Dodd once told The Sydney Morning Herald why she thought the nickname was so fitting for the team.

“I think it did capture a sense of rebelliousness, if you like, which is women’s football,” she said. “It was banned for a long time. To be a woman playing football was a social transgression. In a way, it identifies well with a song about a guy who’s defying authority by stealing things, and then making sure he doesn’t get caught.”

So there you have it. Regardless of the team's nicknames, the countdown to the semi-final is getting increasingly exciting, with an Australian newspaper accused of spying on England's latest training session, showing just how intense the long-running rivalry between the two countries is getting.

European champions England defeated Colombia 2-1 in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, the Matildas’ dramatic penalty shootout victory against France in their winning quarter-finals became the most-watched sporting event in the country since the 2000 Olympic Games.

The winner will play Spain in Sydney, after La Roja defeated Sweden 2-1 in the other semi-final and then we will know who has won the World Cup.

It's all to play for.

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