Key Points
- Players and fans are unhappy they can't buy goalkeeper jerseys at the Women's World Cup.
- Manufacturers Nike and Adidas have not made the shirts available for sale.
- England goalkeeper Mary Earps said the decision is very hurtful.
While it's been a team effort for the Matildas to progress through to the Women's World Cup Quarterfinals, some impressive saves by goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold have played a massive part.
But Matildas fans, who are buying more jerseys than ever, are not able to buy a jersey in Arnold's colours.
They can't buy any present or past Matildas goalkeeper jersey, because manufacturer Nike has not made them available for sale.
That means Arnold, as well as squad goalkeepers Teagan Micah and Lydia Williams, are the only Matildas players whose names and numbers can't be bought on the back of official goalkeeper jerseys - only the general green and gold or blue team jerseys.
"The things I would do to be able to buy Mackenzie Arnold’s black keeper kit," one user wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Why can't you buy Matildas goalkeeper jerseys?
The problem affects not just the Matildas but every team in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup because Nike and Adidas, the two biggest kit manufacturers in women's football, have not made the goalkeeper jerseys available for sale.
There are no goalkeeper jerseys available through the official FIFA store.
Nike, Adidas and Football Australia have all been contacted for comment by SBS News.
Fans make demand for goalkeeper jerseys clear
A petition demanding Women's World Cup goalkeeper shirts be sold has over 34,000 signatures at the time of writing.
Fans have pointed out that goalkeepers have consistently been winning player of the match awards at the tournament.
"Feel like the goalkeepers took this issue personally and are saying look what [you're] all missing out on… AND I'M HERE FOR IT," former England goalkeeper Carly Telford wrote on X, with the hashtag #SELLTHEIRSHIRTS.
"Don’t you think this is a sign to sell GK shirts," one user wrote, tagging Nike and attaching images of three goalkeepers holding player of the match trophies.
Mary Earps kept England's hopes alive as they beat Nigeria to progress to the Quarterfinals, and Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar helped the Netherlands do the same.
Sweden's Zećira Mušović arguably saved the day as her team defeated reigning champions USA to progress to the Quarterfinals where they will meet Japan.
Earps has been vocal about how upset she is knowing fans and her family cannot buy shirts with her name on them.
"Unfortunately, it has become very evident that is not possible and there is not going to be an acceptable solution for the young kids out there," she told the Guardian.
"On a personal level, it is hugely hurtful considering the last 12 months especially. There has been an incredible rise in goalkeeping participation.”
Earps was referring to a 2022/2023 season in which she was awarded the world's best goalkeeper around the time England won the Euros tournament.
She said her goalkeeper shirt for her club Manchester United is regularly sold out online and is the team's third-best selling shirt, highlighting obvious commercial demand.
