FIFA WWC Player Profile: Mary Fowler | OneFootball

Mary Fowler is a 20-year-old forward who currently plies her trade for Manchester City in the FA Women’s Super League. Despite being primarily known as a player who can slot in anywhere across the front three, she also has the technical ability required to play as a creative midfielder.

Fowler began her career at Adelaide United during the 2019-20 W-League season where she made seven appearances before being quickly snapped up by Montpellier that compete in the Division 1 Féminine in France.

The 20-year-olds Montpellier career got off to a rocky start due to the COVID-19 pandemic her first season was abandoned. However once the league resumed play, Fowler shined in her 40 appearances at the club in which she scored 10 goals. Her compelling play led to her being rewarded with a move to global footballing giants Manchester City who had been interested in her since she was a teenager.

Alongside her impressive club career, Fowler has solidified herself as an important part of Tony Gustavsson’s Matildas setup where she often deputises for Matildas talismanic striker Sam Kerr and talented attacking midfielder Caitlin Foord. Fowler was the fifth youngest debutant for the Matildas when she came off the bench in a game against Brazil at the tender age of 15 years and 162 days back in 2018.

Fowler was a part of the squad that finished in the Round of 16 at the 2019 Women’s World Cup however she did not see a minute on the pitch as a result of a hamstring injury. Now four years later she is a much more integral member of the Matildas squad and she is trusted by Gustavsson to deliver important goals when required such as the winning goal off the bench against France in the Matildas send off game for the World Cup.

The Manchester City winger is an extremely technical player whose touch can get her out of any problems that arise. Fowlers skills were developed in quite a different way than the average young girl in Australia, rather than traditional coaching her fantastic technical ability came from spending hours and hours on the beaches of Far North Queensland with her four siblings collectively known as the Fowler Five.

Matildas veteran Hayley Raso has spoken quite openly about how the Matildas team leaders are so impressed with Fowler.

“I mean, she’s so young. You look at her and the way she plays it’s beyond her years. The way she keeps the ball and the way she moves,” said Raso.

“She’s consistently such a great trainer and you can see that when she comes out she’s full of confidence.“

Aside from her technical ability, Fowler is an extremely intelligent footballer whose incredible eye for finding open space between the defense often is the number one reason she has scored so many goals in such a short amount of time for the Matildas.

In the upcoming Women’s World Cup expect Fowler to bring the energy off the bench when the Matildas need a goal.It is also likely that Fowler may get a few opportunities to start as the tournament progresses, especially in the group stage if the Matildas have an early run of wins.

All in all, despite being about to begin her second World Cup in the Matildas squad, Fowler is still seen as one for the future, especially considering the fact that Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord will be 33 and 32 years old respectively by the time the 2027 World Cup comes around. The 2027 World Cup will be perfect timing for Fowler as she should be reaching her prime right as the tournament begins.