Melbourne City FC is delighted to announce the signing of Westfield Matildas forward Kyah Simon ahead of the 2017/18 W-League season.
Simon, 26, joins City on a one-year-deal and arrived in Melbourne this week to commence pre-season training ahead of the team’s title defence.
City’s latest W-League signing was revealed live and exclusively on FOX SPORTS at AAMI Park, ahead of City’s A-League season opener against Brisbane Roar.
Commenting on her signing, Simon said: “I’m really excited to start my career with City. I’m always looking for different challenges and ways to push myself and improve my game. Coming here and having the opportunity to be part of a Club which has raised the standard of football in Australia is going to do just that.
“The facilities and professional environment here is absolutely amazing. Already being at the Club has been a wonderful experience on my first day and I’m looking forward to helping the Club achieve even more success this season.”
Head Coach Patrick Kisnorbo said; “Kyah is an exceptional player who has experience both in the W-League and at international level for the Matildas. To have a player of Kyah’s stature join us ahead of our title defence gives us a fantastic boost. Not only has Kyah achieved an enormous amount on the field, but she has played a massive role in the development of women’s football and is a role model for all young aspiring female footballers.”
Simon is widely regarded as one of the country’s most talented players, having been part of the Matildas set up since making her debut as a 16-year-old in 2007.
She scored the winning penalty in Australia’s ground-breaking 2010 Asian Cup triumph and became the first Indigenous Australian to score at the FIFA World Cup when she scored a brace in a 2-1 win over Norway to ensure qualification for the Quarter Finals at the 2011 tournament.
Simon also led the Matildas to a second-straight Quarter Final berth at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, netting three goals for the tournament, including the only goal in a historic 1-0 win over Brazil in the knockout stages
The NSW-born forward arrives in Melbourne with vast W-League experience, having played for Central Coast Mariners and most recently Sydney FC – where she won two Championship titles – and the Boston Breakers in the United States National Women’s Soccer League.
Simon is in line to make her Club debut in Round 1 as City begins its Westfield W-League title defence with a Grand Final rematch away to Perth Glory on Friday 27 October at nib Stadium.
