What's next for the Matildas after a groundbreaking World Cup run

After a stellar run in the FIFA Women's World Cup where will the Matildas shift their focus to next?

The Matildas' fourth-place finish in the FIFA Women’s World Cup was their best ever. Source: AAP / Russell Freeman

The Matildas have missed out on the Women's World Cup final as Sweden clinched bronze by defeating the co-hosts 2-0 on Saturday, but the fourth-place finish was the Matildas' best-ever result at the showpiece event.

Australia were also beaten by Sweden in the semis of the 2020 Tokyo Games, before losing to the United States in the bronze medal match, and coach Tony Gustavsson said the Matildas were punching above their weight.

Gustavsson has hinted his future with the Matildas is contingent on more high-performance investment as his charges attempt to move on from Women's World Cup heartbreak.

Gustavsson urges more investment but will he stay?

Two-time World Cup winner Jill Ellis has pushed her former assistant Gustavsson's case as Vlatko Andonovski's successor with the United States.

The Swede wouldn't be drawn to that job specifically but stressed he needed investment.

"From a broader perspective ... I know the FA is keen on making an in-depth review of each tournament like they did after the Olympics, after the Asian Cup, that will be made now as well," Gustavsson said.

Australia's head coach Tony Gustavsson wants more investments into women's football in Australia. Source: AP / Tertius Pickard

"In that review, I think we're going to learn a lot about me as a coach, about the team, about preparation, about investment. What I can say is I love working with this team. It resonates with me as a coach; their identity and their why.

"And I've said it before, I don't see this as an end of a journey. I see it as a beginning of a journey.

"But I also want to be very clear that I want to see investment now, I really do. I want to see investment. And I mean like a real investment that we're serious about what we're doing."

Gustavsson pointed to the Matildas' introduction of a full-time goalkeeper coach, physiotherapist and sports scientist since his appointment.

He also called for more investment in youth international pathways to ensure players could step up.

"We have a massive amount of work to do now to capitalise on this," Gustavsson told reporters. "It's a massive achievement for these players considering the resources (we have) compared to the financial resources of the top 10 ranked teams.

"These players have, in some ways, overachieved ... The next step now is investment. Long-term investment, not just a quick fix, because a lot of these players are going to play at the Olympics as well."

Players moving on from tough defeat

Gustavsson's charges were reeling from the play-off loss, their second in three years after losing the bronze medal match at the Tokyo Olympics.

"We want to do something special. We haven't won anything yet," Caitlin Foord said.

"We want to win something. Until we do that I don't think we will be satisfied."

Sam Kerr said it will take a while to move on from the defeat. Source: AAP / Jono Searle

Skipper Sam Kerr will relish the prospect of kicking off Olympic qualifying in front of her home crowd in Perth in October, after she moves on from this defeat.

"It will take a while obviously," she said.

"It took me a while to get over the bronze medal match loss to the USA and the sadness comes from just feeling like you missed an opportunity.

"What we've done for the country is amazing, but the bronze medal really, for us as individuals, as a team would have been nice. So it's a bit sad, but we'll get over it and we'll move on and come back stronger."

The Matildas set sight on Paris Olympics

The Matildas hope the team's deep run at the tournament will give them a platform to build on ahead of next year's Paris Olympics.

Australia will host Iran, Taiwan and the Philippines in Perth in October and November in the second round of the Asian Football Confederation qualifiers for Paris.

"We have a good mix of experience and young players," Gustavsson added. "It can be an advantage to have some continuity in a roster going from one tournament to another. It's a short turnaround with ... qualifiers coming up.

"I'm excited about the Olympics. But we can't jump ahead and think we're going to be there ... So we need to focus on one step at a time."

Keys to Brisbane city and a platypus called Matilda

The Matildas enjoyed a heroes' reception in Brisbane on Sunday, with almost 4,500 fans packing the Riverstage as the players were given the key to the city.

The players, and in particular vice-captain Steph Catley, were surprised on-stage by Nikki Webster with a rendition of her 2000 hit Strawberry Kisses, one of the Matildas' songs of the tournament.

Meanwhile, a rescued female Platypus being cared for at Sydney's Taronga Zoo has been named Matilda.

Matilda had been found under a bush on the NSW Central Coast and was weak, severely malnourished and covered in ticks, which compromised her waterproofing making it difficult for her to swim and survive on her own.

The puggle was around four months old when she was admitted to Taronga’s Wildlife Hospital in April. She was in poor condition and weighed only 280 grams. Credit: Supplied

Thanks to around-the-clock care from Taronga's Platypus team she now weighs in at 694 grams and is eating and foraging on her own.

"We are incredibly proud of the Matildas and the spirit they have shown throughout the Women's World Cup and Tilly is emblematic of that perseverance," NSW Premier Chris Minns said.

"We know their legacy will be remembered for generations and, now one of our most iconic native animals shares the same name."