Matildas star Mary Fowler has revealed the heartbreaking sacrifices she has had to make in order to become one of the hottest properties in world football - saying she's only seen her siblings grow up over video calls. The 20-year-old wunderkind now plies her trade in the WSL for English giants Manchester City, and will be a vital part of Australia's attacking rotation at the home World Cup, which begins in just over a month's time. Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia as her documentary series Mary on 7Plus prepared to air, Fowler revealed the heartbreaking sacrifices she has had to make on her way to becoming one of the hottest properties in female football.

Football can, quite seriously, be a matter of life and death: just ask FIFA's Secretary General, who said the only time child soldiers in war-torn African countries were allowed to lay down their guns was when the sport was on. Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura is the organisation's second-highest ranked individual behind president Gianni Infantino, and Forbes has previously labelled her the most powerful woman in world sport. The 60-year-old Senegalese was the first woman to be appointed to the prestigious position, and also the first non-European. She spoke to Daily Mail Australia while she is Down Under preparing for the Women's World Cup and explained the incredible power football can wield.

As the Matildas announce their squad for the World Cup, the country's first-ever skipper has revealed they had to resort to gambling fundraisers and baking lamingtons to play for Australia. Julie Dolan is the Matildas' cap no. 1 after skippering the side in their first-ever game, which was against New Zealand in 1979 - and she is also a Legacy '23 ambassador for the World Cup, which begins in front of a sold-out crowd against Ireland on July 20. So while Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter and co. will now play in front of 83,000 fans, sitting in brand-new, multimillion-dollar, gender-neutral change rooms and earning the same money as the Socceroos, it has taken a long and at times painful journey to get to this point.

Before February, when I thought of a cruise holiday images of Hawaiian shirts, daggy group uniforms, garish floating casinos and retirees crossed my mind. Cruising is still for everyone, but it's never catered to the younger, travel savvy demographic as much as it does now. I was lucky enough to be a guest on a recent Princess Cruises trip around New Zealand and my eyes were opened to the wonderful world of cruising and the concept of having everything you need right at your fingertips. The M

You might think you know Below Deck alum Hannah Ferrier, but you don't: she's far more than the blonde bombshell you see on social media or television. The Real Love Boat Australia star, 36, isn't your typical media personality, influencer or even just a 'waitress'; which bitter rival from Below Deck Mediterranean, Captain Sandra 'Sandy' Yawn, referred to her as. She's not just the fiery chief stewardess who famously sent Below Deck fans into fits of laughter after saying 'Quack quack, b**ch' to a customer who labelled a duck dish 'ew'.

Below Deck Down Under chief stew Aesha Scott has revealed what she really thinks about Captain Jason Chambers – and how her friendship with OG Below Deck Mediterranean star Hannah Ferrier got off to a rocky start. As the second series of the popular Bravo series hits Hayu, it's clear that viewers are set for more sex, drama and some explosive scenes as the new yacht, Northern Star, sets sail from Cairns – which is of course the gateway to the stunning Great Barrier Reef. It's been an almost unbelievably busy 12 months for the globetrotting Scott since the first season of Below Deck Down Under wrapped up last year.

Aussie cricket superstar Megan Schutt has a simple answer when people question why LGBTQI+ athletes come out or share their lives on social media like any straight person would: because 'there's still some kids who would rather be dead than gay'. The 30-year-old fast bowler, who is married with one child, has always been one of Australia's most outspoken female athletes when it comes to inclusivity and gay rights – and the fact she is about to lead the side's attack into a T20 World Cup semi-final isn't changing that. It means she is often squarely in the firing line for trolls on social media, which she often acknowledges and calls out. But this isn't a case of water off a duck's back. It's more like a mighty duck donning a helmet and wading into battle armed, determined to turn the tide of homophobia that still runs rampant through sport.

Recently retired Geelong premiership hero Joel Selwood says he has a 'new footy locker room' for one very heartwarming reason. The four-time premiership player got the fairytale ending so many wished for when the Cats won the 2022 flag, and is now moving on with the next stage of his life in a way that doesn't involve Aussie Rules footy. Selwood told Daily Mail Australia life has not slowed down in the slightest since he finished his storied 355-game career, which included almost every team and individual honour in the sport.

Matildas star Chloe Logarzo is proudly gay - and she won't let the haters force her into hiding who she really is. The 27-year-old forward, who has represented Australia more than 50 times at senior level and played in top leagues all over the world, is used to vile comments both online and in person. And that's exactly why it's so important one of the country's top female footballers is refusing to hide the way she attacks life with joy alongside fiancee McKenzie Berryhill, with whom she played with in the US National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

Matildas prodigy Mary Fowler revealed why her move to football giants Manchester City has her primed to shine on the grandest stage of all in next month's World Cup in Australia. The Aussie superstar spoke to Daily Mail Australia about the heartbreaking sacrifices she had to make to chase her football dreams, but she is now reaping the rewards and will be picked to go to her second World Cup, aged just 20. Now Fowler has revealed how her move to UK giant Manchester City, and fighting for regular minutes, has set her up perfectly ahead of next month's huge tournament.

She's won a Melbourne Cup, been the subject of a movie and ridden over 750 winners, but Aussie jockey Michelle Payne's new career highlight might just be joining the broadcast team for the Royal Ascot carnival. The 37-year-old became the first (and currently still only) woman to win a Melbourne Cup when she stunned the racing world by winning the world's most famous turf races on 100-1 shot, Prince of Penzance. She famously called horse racing a 'chauvinistic sport' after her historic win, saying: 'I want to say to everyone else, get stuffed, because they think women aren’t strong enough but we just beat the world'. And she's only gone from strength to strength since.

Thursday was an utterly exhausting day for female sports journalists. Well, all women. What started as male egos colliding in an AFL press conference - where Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge attacked Fox Sports journalist Tom Morris - ended with a female sports reporter as the collateral damage.

You cannot be what you cannot see. There was a documentary in 2011 called Miss Representation that tried to uncover why women are under-represented in positions of power. Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund provided the above quote - and it certainly applies when we talk about females in coaching roles. Fortunately for both Parkes and the entire nation, two women are doing their best to be seen: Meaghan Kempson and Leah Blayney.

Former top jockey Libby Hopwood has mourned people being 'eaten up' by the relentless 'racing machine' in the wake of her fellow rider and close friend Dean Holland's tragic death last month.

Josh Piterman has graced the stages of West End, the famed Opera House and sung all over the world - but he is excited to 'help people enter another world' through his phenomenal voice at the Overture concert in Parkes on April 2.

Some pictures are worth 1000 words. This one is worth 2000.

Glamorous ex-jockey turned tipster opens up on the time a 'morbidly-obese trainer' fat-shamed her 52kg figure - and reveals why she wants to 'shake up the status quo'

"Maybe I've been taught by my mother to be proud of who I am and to stand out from the crowd." Parkes country singer Raechel Whitchurch talks about being a strong, proud woman in her song 'You Ain't One of Us' and after being nominated for two prestigious Golden Guitar awards you can see that strength coming through in spades. Since releasing her debut album 'Finally Clear' this year, the culmination of two years of blood, sweat and tears, Raechel has been racking up the streams...

After the Group 11 season was cancelled last week due to the COVID-19 situation in the Central West, it brought an end to what was a very promising season for the Parkes Spacemen.

Trundle to Toowoomba - an 850 kilometre journey - might just be the most important journey Sally Downie has made in her life.