“I had no interest in anything else. I was like, I’m gonna go play for Chelsea’s men and play with Drogba. I was obsessed with him, I wore gloves because he was wearing them. I didn’t realise it was cold there, but I wore them in thirty degree heat.” There was never any doubt in Alex Chidiac’s mind that she was going to be a footballer. “I was this kid that had a bob cut and wore gloves and had no clue what was going on. But I just knew that that was what I was always going to do.”

For Alex, the route to professional football was anything but clear. “There was no pathway in Adelaide at that point; we created a pathway essentially.” After being scouted aged nine for an under thirteen state team, she then found herself debuting for the Matildas at just sixteen. “There’s so much stacked against you, if you don’t fall into a certain group at a young age you fall out of it. I’ve seen that happen to so many girls.”

It’s easy to forget that she’s still only twenty five, as she talks about playing in Spain, Japan, America and most recently, Mexico. “It was so good - they go all out there. I don’t think that’ll be the last time I’m in Mexico, with the way they’re developing and the investment.” With limited minutes on-pitch and the season ending, Alex weighed up her options. “I just want to play. Overseas, if I’m not playing, I have nothing else outside of football. I’m not actually getting better.” So she decided to come back to Australia. 

“It’s so good to be home,” Alex says, with a tinge of relief in her voice. Reunited with former club Melbourne Victory - where she experienced much success - she’s determined to make the most of her time there. “I want to see how much better I can get… I told Jeff [Hopkins, her coach] I want him to give me criticism.” Being back on the pitch where she can improve is what matters most.

Since returning to Australia, Alex has seen first-hand the legacy left by the recent World Cup. “The amount of girls that were yelling my name, I’ve never had that before anywhere. They’re such genuine fans now; they’re actually invested in it and that’s beautiful to me. They care.” She laments that whilst we might not have Europe’s football culture, we still don’t tap into Australia’s diversity and the love people hold for the game enough. “This is where it all begins.”

Off the back of such a successful tournament, Alex reflects on her World Cup experience. Whilst there was a level of external expectation, she approached 2023 tentatively - particularly after the heartbreak of missing the 2019 edition. When she came on for her tournament debut in Brisbane, it was a proud moment for her and her family. “That was the most special because my family was in the crowd, all my people were there.”

As Alex talks about just how much the World Cup meant to her family, it becomes clear just how much they mean to her. She speaks about the challenges they faced coming to Australia to begin with. “Both sides of the family didn’t know any English when they came, it’s kind of crazy how it all ended up here.” With Polish-Egyptian ancestry, she’s eager to explore her family history. “I really want to go. I wish I learned a language when I was really young, but my first word was actually ‘milk’ in Polish.” 

Growing up, Alex was encouraged by her parents to find different interests. Whilst her mum - who she describes as the matriarch of the family - pushed for dancing, it didn’t quite work out. “I was naturally good at a lot of sports. I could’ve been Ash Barty,” she laughs, before admitting she was actually scouted for Australia at a young age. When it became too hard to balance football and tennis, the former won out.

It’s no surprise, really. One conversation with Alex is enough to understand her genuine love of football is something she wants to share. “I dream of creating a community pitch, and everyone can just come and play. I’d love to do something like that.” Hers is a journey that has had more than its fair share of challenges, but for now, Alex is right where she needs to be. “I’m happy with what I’ve been able to achieve around the world, but I’m here to just play football for myself, my teammates and my coach… in my baggy shorts,” she laughs.

Words and photos by Rachel Bach.