Hayley Raso - The latest Matilda (re) lighting up the WSL

Image: Hayley Raso in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt Credit: @HayleyRaso on Instagram

By Finley Chung (13/10/24)

The summer of 2024 was a summer of transition and change for Tottenham Hotspur and their squad, with senior players departing in up to double figures, with plenty of new incomings too.

One of those incomings saw a return to the league for the seemingly universally loved Hayley Raso, who swapped Madrid for London this September in a return to the shores where she previously donned the colours of Manchester City and first, Everton.

Raso has an inspiring story to boot; being the author of her own children's book, ‘Hayley’s Ribbon’ - which documented her shyness as a young girl and how she fought through it, with the help of her now iconic ribbons in the top of her hair bun which her Grandma gave her, something that she still wears in matches to this day. 

Raso joins an evergrowing list of Aussies to play in England, including names such as: Charli Grant and Clare Hunt, both also at Spurs, Arsenals trio of Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney Cross and Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler and Alana Kennedy of Man City to name just a few. 

During the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, these stars, (and a lot more besides) were catapulted to household name territory during the Aussies' sparkling run to the semi-finals on home soil.

Since then, a seemingly never-ending influx of Australian players has arrived in England looking to further progress their careers, with Raso returning to England and to Tottenham and already making a big impact. 

Starring in their 4-0 win over Crystal Palace on opening day, Raso scored a brilliant individual goal, dribbling past numerous Palace players before slotting past a helpless Shae Yanez to start Spurs’ scoring spree. 

She was awarded Player of the Match on her debut too, with the Spurs Number Eight speaking so glowingly about the club and her teammates when she joined, and after the Palace game. 

Upon joining Spurs in September, she said to the Spurs Website, 

 “I had a chat with Robert [Vilahamn] and he gave such a good impression and good vibes of the team and then I spoke to ‘Charli’ [Grant] who has been here a while about what she thought of the Club and how things have gone. For me, after that chat, it was a pretty easy decision to want to come here.”

Raso joins the ever growing line of Spurs signings to put a conversation down with manager Robert Vilahamn, as one of the key reasons for bringing them to the club, showcasing the true impact he has made in North London..

Spurs fans all over the world are hoping that Raso will continue her fine opening day form as they take on the Women's Super League this season.