There was a brief moment, in between Michelle Heyman’s phone ringing and the striker answering the call from interim national team manager Tom Sermanni, where uncertainty filled the void.
“I actually got really hot and uncomfortable for a minute, because it was just a nice feeling to know that he sees me as a player within this team as well,” Heyman said from the sides training base in Zurich.
A new four-year cycle gets underway this week when the Matildas play friendlies against Euro 2025 hosts Switzerland on Saturday morning (AEDT), and Paris Olympic bronze medallists, Germany, in Duisburg, three days later.
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At 36, Heyman has been given the chance to continue her remarkable return to the international arena.
Earlier this year, with former Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson looking for a replacement for injured captain Sam Kerr, she was recalled for an Olympic qualifier against Uzbekistan in Tashkent.
It marked her first appearance for Australia in six-years and came after a brief retirement from international football in 2019.
Heyman has been picked for every camp since, returning the faith shown in her, with seven goals in eight appearances, including a 90th minute winner in a 6-5 thriller against Zambia in Nice, that kept Australia’s, ultimately ill-fated, Olympic campaign alive.
However, it would only be natural to wonder whether a new era would bring generational change.
The only problem with that when it comes to Heyman, is that her international hiatus actually re-ignited her passion for the game, and the veteran feels like anything but someone coming to the end of their career.
“I want to be better.
“I want to continue to be within the Matildas for as long as possible. I want to stay as healthy and fit as I can so I can always perform.”
The first big landmark on the road to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles is the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia in 2026.
Heyman is intent on being part of that tournament on home soil, after taking in the Matildas game-changing World Cup exploits in 2023, from the stands.
“It’s massive,” said Heyman.
“It was a pretty cool experience to be in the stands for the World Cup, as a player during that time, but it did give me all the fire in the belly to want to be out on that field.
“I hold that World Cup very close to me. I feel that has changed my life and it has re-sparked that drive I had to be in this team.
“I keep that really close to me because I will use that energy that I got from watching those games to continue to push me and to keep fighting to be there for the Asian Cup.”
Sermanni, who shares a special history with Heyman, has given her that chance.
“He was the coach who gave me my debut, so I’ve got great respect for him,” she said.
“He’s an incredible human, extremely happy all the time. He brings a really positive vibe into this environment.”
That debut came in a 2-2 draw against North Korea in Brisbane in 2010.
Much has changed for player and coach since then.
“I still remember my debut and I remember feeling like a headless chook running out on the field, wasting all my energy within the first sprint because I was so nervous, and couldn’t believe I was playing for my country,” she said.
“Now, when I look back, even at our last games in the Olympics, I just feel so confident and comfortable within myself and my position.
“I know the game so well now, so I’ve got all those years of experience behind me and it just brings so much confidence for myself personally.”
The games against Switzerland and Germany represent a chance for the side to move on from their disastrous Olympic campaign.
They went to France with sights set on an historic gold medal, and instead failed to get out of, albeit, a difficult group, containing Germany, Zambia and the United States.
“I think that’s the way I’m most definitely looking at it.
“The results weren’t the best results and it wasn’t what we wanted during the Olympics.
“We really wanted to be better, we wanted to come home with medals, we wanted to be the best team possible for our country, but that wasn’t the answer for us.
“This camp, I think everyone is going to change their mindset and try and be as positive as possible, work extremely hard and try and come away with some great results.
“These are two games coming up that are going to be extremely challenging. They’re both quality countries to play against, so it’s going to be a big test for us to see where we’re at.”
The Canberra United goal-machine is confident she can continue to mix it with the best while remaining in the A-League Women competition.
A move to Women’s Super League side West Ham almost eventuated during the long off-season, but she decided against taking up a short-term contract with the Hammers that could’ve seen her potentially cut loose in December.
Instead, Heyman signed a new one-year deal with Canberra.
“The professionalism that I saw, I do believe Australia is the same standard.
“I know that within Canberra United our standards are very high. I think West Ham and Canberra are very similar, especially the facilities, the amount of staff, we pretty much are the exact same.
“I’m still able to push myself within the environment I have here in Australia and as long as I can continue to score goals, stay fit and be the footballer that I am, I see my chances of continuing to be in this national team for as long as I keep pushing really hard.”
