Melissa Barbieri
Encyclopedia
Melissa Anne Barbieri is the current Australian national football (soccer) goalkeeper
and team captain.
.
At 1.68m tall, her height has been questioned by the media in her position at goalkeeper, although has aptly proven herself as a shot-stopper.
She played for Richmond FC, becoming the first female to play in the professional mens league. After gaining experience in the men's league, Barbieri made her debut in goals for the Matildas
in September 2002 in a 1 - 0 win against Canada
.
In 2008, she was approached by the US football team, the Boston Renegades
. However, the Boston management eventually pursued this no further for the remainder of the season, due to Barbieri's commitments to the Australian national team.
She signed for Melbourne Victory for the inaugural season of the Westfield W-League
. Barbieri won the Goalkeeper of the year award.
She is a scholarship holder with the Victorian Institute of Sport.
On 19 February 2010, Barbieri was named captain of the Matildas
following the 2009 retirement of Cheryl Salisbury
.
In June 2011, Barbieri was on the cover of the Australian FourFourTwo
Magazine along with fellow Matilda's Thea Slatyer
, Sam Kerr, Kyah Simon
and Sarah Walsh
.
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
and team captain.
Biography
Her height is 168 cm, and weight is 64 kg. Before 2007 World Cup she played 54 games for AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
At 1.68m tall, her height has been questioned by the media in her position at goalkeeper, although has aptly proven herself as a shot-stopper.
She played for Richmond FC, becoming the first female to play in the professional mens league. After gaining experience in the men's league, Barbieri made her debut in goals for the Matildas
Australia women's national association football team
The Australia women's national association football team, nicknamed the Matildas , represents Australia in international women's association football and is governed by Football Federation Australia . The team has regularly qualified for both the Women's World Cup and the Olympics although has won...
in September 2002 in a 1 - 0 win against Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
In 2008, she was approached by the US football team, the Boston Renegades
Boston Renegades
Boston Renegades was an American women’s soccer team, founded in 2003. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues W-League, the second tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. The team plays in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference...
. However, the Boston management eventually pursued this no further for the remainder of the season, due to Barbieri's commitments to the Australian national team.
She signed for Melbourne Victory for the inaugural season of the Westfield W-League
W-League (Australia)
The W-League is the preeminent women's semi-professional football league in Australia. Established in 2008, it is composed of eight teams - seven of them are affiliated with seven of the Australian clubs currently in the A-League, with the eighth team based in Canberra...
. Barbieri won the Goalkeeper of the year award.
She is a scholarship holder with the Victorian Institute of Sport.
On 19 February 2010, Barbieri was named captain of the Matildas
Australia women's national association football team
The Australia women's national association football team, nicknamed the Matildas , represents Australia in international women's association football and is governed by Football Federation Australia . The team has regularly qualified for both the Women's World Cup and the Olympics although has won...
following the 2009 retirement of Cheryl Salisbury
Cheryl Salisbury
Cheryl Ann Salisbury is a female football player.-Biography:She most recently played as a defender for the New York Power in the WUSA and for the Newcastle United Jets in the W-League...
.
In June 2011, Barbieri was on the cover of the Australian FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo (Australia)
FourFourTwo is a football magazine published by Haymarket Group's Australian operations. It takes its title and layout from the UK magazine of the same name.-History:...
Magazine along with fellow Matilda's Thea Slatyer
Thea Slatyer
Thea Slatyer is an Australian female football player and member of the Australia women's national football team.-Club career:Slatyer plays for Newcastle Jets in the Australian W-League.-International career:...
, Sam Kerr, Kyah Simon
Kyah Simon
Kyah Pam Simon is an Australian female football player. She currently plays for Sydney FC in the Australian W-League.Kyah made her debut against Melbourne Victory on Saturday, 25 October 2008...
and Sarah Walsh
Sarah Walsh
Sarah Walsh is an Australian football forward currently playing for Sydney FC of Australia's W-League and is a member of the Australia women's national association football team....
.
Career highlights
- 2010 Qualified for FIFA Women's World Cup
- 2010 Captain the Matildas at the AFC Women's Asian Cup which they beat North Korea in penalties to win the competition
- 2007 Qualified for FIFA Women's World Cup
- 2006 2nd at the AFC Women's Asian Cup
- 2005 Four Nations Tour
- 2004 1st at the Oceania Football Confederation Women's Olympic Qualifying TournamentOFC Women's Olympic Qualifying TournamentThe OFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament is a tournament held once in four years times to decided the only qualification spot for Oceania Football Confederation and representatives at the Olympic Games.-Summaries:...
- 2004 2nd at the 6th Australia Cup (Brisbane)
- 2004 Competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens - 2003 13th at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup
- 2003 Pre-World Cup Tour (China, Great Britain, Canada)
- 2003 2nd at the 3-Nations International Tournament in Japan
- 2003 2nd at the Australia Cup
- 2003 Gained Australian Institute of Sport Scholarship
- 2002 Canada Series
- 2002 2nd at the US Nike Cup (international debut vs. Canada with a clean sheet)
- 2001 First national camp as a goal keeper
- 2000 Switched to goal keeper position
- 1997 Selected for a national camp as a midfielder
External links
- FIFA Profile http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=191926/index.html
- Football Federation Australia Profile http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/2009Matildas/default.aspx?s=aus_matildas_player_profiles_playerprofile_new&pid=434&tid=97
- Melbourne Victory Player Profile http://www.melbournevictory.com.au/default.aspx?s=wleague_profile&pid=434&tid=269
- Victorian Institute of Sport Profile http://www.vis.org.au/profile.asp?profileID=926&personTypeID=1&ToPage=profilesbysport.asp