KYAH SIMON
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Date of Birth
25 June 1991
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Background/Country
First Nations Australian. Anaiwan & Biripi
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Jersey Number
#17
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Current Teams
The Matildas
CommBank Matilda and Professional Footballer – Kyah made her Debut at 16 years of age for The Matildas. Passionate about inspiring and empowering people to believe in themselves, touching on lived experiences of Resilience, Leadership, and the importance of visibility of Female role models for our future generations.
Kyah has taken her passion for empowering the next generation of female footballers by launching her very own, All Girls Football Clinics in 2016 for young aspiring female footballers. Theses clinics provide girls aged 6-16 years of age with a unique opportunity to develop their football skills in a supportive and encouraging environment. Focused on fostering confidence, teamwork, and leadership, Kyah’s clinics aim to inspire girls to pursue their dreams both on and off the field. With her vast experience as a professional athlete, Kyah offers valuable mentorship and guidance, helping to shape the future of women’s football in Australia and beyond.
On the international stage Kyah has been a member of The Matildas for the last 16 years, with 113 International caps and 29 goals. Kyah has competed at 3x FIFA Women’s World Cups – 2011, 2015 and 2023 Home World Cup. 3x Asian Cup’s – 2010, 2018 and 2022 and is a 2x Olympian competing in – Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Kyah made history when she became the first Indigenous Australian Player, female or male, to score in a FIFA World Cup in 2011, where she netted two crucial goals to help The Matildas reach the Quarterfinals. One of Kyah’s career highlights is converting the winning penalty to claim Australia’s first ever piece of silverware at the 2010 Asian Cup.
In a decorated professional club career, Kyah has represented teams across the world including Sydney FC, Melbourne City, The Boston Breakers, Houston Dash, PSV Eindhoven and Tottenham Hotspur.
Kyah has received individual and team accolades at domestic and international level and is still the only player in history to win all four prestigious awards in a W-League/A-League season (2011): Player of the Year (Julie Dolan Medal), Players’ Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Golden Boot Award.
Kyah’s story personifies Resilience, drawing on her individual experiences with injuries as she has battled many setbacks throughout her career. A proud Gay, Indigenous Women, in a male dominated industry striving to challenge the status quo.
Kyah has a wealth of experience, using her platform to push for positive social change and is a respected Keynote Speaker. Known for delivering inspiring keynote addresses on topics such as Resilience and Overcoming Adversity, Leadership and Teamwork, Indigenous Representation in Sport, Equality and to inspire the next generation of aspiring athletes.
Kyah has presented in front of varied rooms and corporates such as Coca Cola, Reserve Bank of Australia, Sony and Meta to name a few.
Kyah advocates for greater inclusion and diversity, striving for recognition of Indigenous athletes in Australia and globally.
Kyah has also established herself a successful media career, appearing on Fox Sports, SBS, Optus Sport, Channel 9 and Channel 10. As well as serving on Football Australia’s National Indigenous Advisory Group, and The Australian Olympic Indigenous Advisory Committee, bringing her wealth of personal experience to help better the opportunities for future generations.
Kyah has also partnered with an impactful and meaningful initiative – ‘Most Important Meal,’ which endeavours to provide breakfast meals within schools across NSW for children from varied backgrounds.
Balancing the career of a full-time professional athlete, social advocacy, philanthropic passions and business interests, Kyah is an all rounded, multi faceted athlete, personifying a determined mindset.
A career that began with the Quakers Hill Junior Soccer Club at the age of 8 – and a Matildas debut at 16 – has taken Kyah to football’s grandest stages and the boardrooms of corporate giants around the world. She is a true trailblazer, a proven match-winner and forever a proud Indigenous Australian.
