2024 Olympics: Tony Gustavsson steps down as Australia head coach | OneFootball

Tony Gustavsson has left his role as Australia head coach by mutual agreement. The decision was announced by Football Australia shortly after their exit from the 2024 Olympics was confirmed on Wednesday evening.

The group stage exit marks the worst Olympic result for the Matildas since Sydney in 2000. They couldn’t find a result against the USA to see them into the knockouts, despite their sensational 6-5 comeback over Zambia at the weekend.

Gustavsson’s four-year tenure has seen a mixed bag of tournament results, and there were the undoubted highs. A fourth-placed finish in the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics, coupled with an historic run to the World Cup semi-finals on home soil saw the Matildas stars become household names around the world.

Their 3-1 semi-final loss to England was watched by the largest television audience in Australia since records began in 2001. Every single game they’ve since played on Australian soil has been a sell-out.

But there were disappointments. Those two semi-final runs sandwiched a disappointing quarter-final exit to South Korea in the 2022 Asian Cup. A lacklustre showing in Paris, albeit in a tough group containing the USA and Germany. These inconsistent results have seen both Australia and Gustavsson agree to part ways.

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“It has been a great honour and privilege”

Commenting on his exit, Gustavsson said: “It has been a great honour and privilege to have been able to be the head coach of the Matildas over the past four years. This journey with the team has had many incredible moments and memories that I will forever treasure.”

Football Australia CEO, James Johnson was quick to pay tribute, adding:  “Tony has been an integral part of the Matildas’ journey over the past four years with a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the FIFA World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023. We thank him for his strong contribution, passion and commitment during that time and wish him every success for the future.”

Johnson also added that the process to find Gustavsson’s successor will begin ‘immediately’.

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