Alexia Apostolakis

She calls being alone with a ball on a pitch her “safe space,” and says it started with trips to the park with her dad where there was “no pressure.”

Her love of football was sparked by her older brother, after her parents enrolled them in multiple sports and backyard competitions followed.

She idolised Ellie Carpenter growing up and wanted to play like her.

She is Greek on her father’s side and Filipino on her mother’s side. She is eligible to represent the Philippines.

On a vacation in Croatia.

At around 11, she had to choose between athletics and football. The teamwork, friendships and shared celebrations persuaded her to keep kicking a ball.

She began her professional career at 15 and became Western Sydney Wanderers’ youngest goalscorer at 15 years and 279 days.

Her favourite Greek family meal is gemista — stuffed vegetables filled with ingredients such as rice, mince and herbs.

She has a serious sweet tooth and is particularly fond of thin, slightly salty cookies and Dubai-chocolate cookies.

One of her favourite Filipino treats is champorado, a sweet chocolate rice dish traditionally made with sticky rice and coconut milk.

Olivia Dean is among her favourite musicians, and she singled out Dean’s version of “The Hardest Part” featuring Leon Bridges as a favourite song.