Matildas winger Cortnee Vine takes mental health break from football

Matildas winger Cortnee Vine will prioritise her mental health and take a break from football after an “overwhelming” rise to prominence over the past few years.

For the second consecutive international window the 26-year-old made herself unavailable for selection and was again a notable absentee from interim coach Tom Sermanni’s 36-woman squad for Australia’s upcoming friendlies against Brazil and Taiwan.

Through her management company, Vine posted a statement shortly after the squad was announced on Friday, confirming she intends to focus on her own wellbeing for the immediate future.

“I’m sure many people can appreciate that my life has dramatically changed over the past two years,” Vine said. “Due to these very new and sometimes overwhelming experiences, I’ve discovered that identifying, managing and prioritising my mental health has become something I have needed to work very hard on.

“Like many who face mental health challenges, I have my good days and my difficult ones, but every day is a lesson in learning to find the right balance. For now I need to focus on taking care of myself, which is why I am taking some time off.”

Vine was a star of the A-League Women before she was catapulted into the national spotlight by winning a call-up to the Matildas squad for the Women’s World Cup on home soil. Her life changed and she became a national hero when she scored the winning penalty in Australia’s quarter-final shootout win over France in Brisbane.

View image in fullscreen Cortnee Vine celebrates her winning penalty as the Matildas reached the World Cup semi-finals. Photograph: Chris Hyde/FIFA/Getty Images

After the World Cup, she snubbed interest from overseas clubs to remain at Sydney FC and, as one of few Matildas plying their trade in Australia, became one of the faces of the competition.

In June, after another successful A-League Women season, she was finally tempted by the National Women’s Soccer League in the US and signed for North Carolina Courage.

Despite playing an integral part in the Matildas’ qualification for the Paris Olympics, Vine pulled out of the team for qualifiers in February last year for personal reasons, before returning to make her Games debut against Germany in Marseille.

Since arriving in North Carolina, she has played five times, and scored one goal.

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Vine gave no indication of when she may return to football, but when she does, she believes she will be better for having had a break.

“I truly appreciate everyone’s support and concern, and I’m confident I’ll return stronger than ever,” she said.

Sermanni said he was in regular contact with Vine, but she had chosen not to be considered for selection this time.

“We’ve had a chat before the last window. We’ve had a chat within the last week. She’s good, but she’s just not available for these upcoming games,” he said.

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