Brisbane Roar is delighted to announce that Matilda Tameka Yallop will be joining the Liberty A-League squad on a multi-year deal ahead of the 2023/24 season.
The Australian star will return to the Roar after previously spending ten years 2008-2018 at the club and being a part of the 2008/09 Championship winning campaign.
Yallop has a wealth of experience under her belt, with her career including international stints at the Boston Breakers, FFC Frankfurt, Iga F.C. Kunoichi, Mallbackens, and Klepp IL.
She moved to Melbourne City for the 2018-2019 season but came back to Brisbane in 2019. When departing the Roar in 2021, she went to English powerhouse West Ham United for a season before joining Brann for a year.
The 32-year-old has scored 116 goals in her career, and will look to bring this experience to the squad to inspire younger players and contribute to the overall success of the team this coming season.
She also won the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2010, AFF Womens’ Championship in 2008, the 2017 Tournament of Nations and the FFA Cup of Nations.
Yallop looks forward to putting the Roar jersey on again, in a special time after a great World Cup run and exciting time for football.
“I’m excited to be home. Having a World Cup at home just brings the nostalgia back to returning to Brisbane Roar as well, where I did a fair chunk of my youth football. The timing couldn’t be better,” Yallop said.
“Not only how far we went in the tournament, but it’s great knowing there’s going to be more opportunities for younger players coming through, better training facilities, more coaches available to them, and the fact that it’s going to keep growing and going up from here is exciting,” she said.
With a wealth of experience under her belt, Yallop believes she can offer guidance to younger players in the squad to achieve great results this season.
“I have a lot to offer for younger players coming through and balancing out the team. Having a range in the age group really shapes the team so I’m looking forward to providing that experience,” the midfielder said.
“The very first inaugural season, winning the Championship is a very fond memory of mine, I am always chasing that feeling again. That will be our team’s aspirations this season and mine as well.”
“Tameka is a role model for the next generation of Brisbane Roar footballers,” Head Coach Garrath McPherson said.
“Having her return home to her family, friends and football club is something that is sure to excite the whole city.”
“She has been overseas competing in the world’s best competitions for a number of years and we are proud that she has returned to us to continue her career.”
“She played an important role for the Matildas across their World Cup campaign and no doubt loved being back home during this time. I am happy that she gets to continue her career with her loved ones nearby.”
McPherson describes Yallop as “the ultimate professional”, after achieving great things in her career so far as a world class player. He looks forward to seeing what she will bring to the squad this season.
“She has a real opportunity to share this mindset within the locker room. As a central midfielder, creating and scoring goals have been trademarks of her career and having her back in orange provides us another attacking weapon for the seasons ahead.”
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