Melbourne City stars made their mark on the international stage over the past week, with a trio of young talents representing Australia.
From long-awaited comebacks to young guns finding the back of the net, here’s how City’s stars fared on the international stage.
RETURN OF THE MAC
Holly McNamara made her return to the international stage with the Matildas, featuring off the bench in Australia’s 4-0 loss to Japan, marking a significant milestone in her comeback from injury.
Just days later, she earned a place in the starting XI against reigning Olympic Gold medalists, the U.S. Women’s National Team – her first start for the Matildas in 1,122 days.
While it was a challenging SheBelieves tournament for the Matildas, McNamara’s return was a major positive for the team following her standout A-League Women’s campaign with City.
YOUNG STARS FIND THE BACK OF THE NET
16-year-old Shelby McMahon lifted silverware with Australia U20, as they claimed the PacificAus Four Nations Tournament title with a commanding 5-2 win over Thailand U20.
McMahon was on fire on Match Day 2 of the tournament, netting the opening two goals in Australia’s dominant 12-0 victory over the Solomon Islands, further highlighting why she’s one of Australia’s most exciting young talents.
Meanwhile, City striker Medin Memeti and the Young Socceroos are on the brink of making history.
The youngest player in the squad, Memeti, and his teammates will face Saudi Arabia U20 in the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2025 Final™ on Saturday 1 March at 10:30pm.
Memeti played a important role in helping his side qualify, scoring the opener in a 2-1 win over China to wrap up the group stage – a performance that earned him Player of the Match honours.
AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2025 Final™ Match Details
Young Socceroos v Saudi Arabia
Saturday, 1 March 2025
Bao’an Sports Centre Stadium, Shenzhen
Kick-off: 7.30pm Local / 10.30pm AEDT
Broadcast: Live on 10 Bold and 10 Play
TJ IN ACTION WITH SERBIA
Tyla-Jay Vlajnic returned to action with Serbia in the UEFA Women’s Nations League.
The experienced defender played the full 90 minutes in Serbia’s impressive 1-0 victory over Finland, helping to secure a crucial clean sheet in Belgrade, Serbia.
Vlajnic also saw action in the team’s second match of the window, coming on at half-time in a 0-0 draw with Belarus, before returning to Melbourne ahead of City’s clash with Canberra United on Saturday 1 March.
