by Alice de Koster-Kitto (19/8/25).
Above: Canberra United’s Matildas star Michelle Heyman speaking to the media yesterday. Image: Canberra United
Australian footballing giant Michelle Heyman has re-signed with Canberra United, along with head coach Antoni Jagarinec, ahead of the 2025/26 A-League season. The re-signing marks Jagarinec’s second season in green, while Heyman will lead the line in her 15th overall year with the club.
“We’re all just grateful that there’s still football here in Canberra, ” Heyman said, reacting to her re-signing and the club’s future in the A-League.
Yesterday’s announcement will be the first of many from the capital city club, following the announcement that United will continue in the competition through the 2025/26 season, under the funding of Capital Football and the ACT government.
Head coach Antoni Jagarinec can ensure that the rest of the squad is locked in “immminently”, as the club heads into pre-season training. The Canberra boss reflected on the significance of keeping his hometown club in the league, stating, “We have such a rich history in the league; we’re the nation’s capital. We belong here.”
“The whole off-season was about the girls and making sure that they had a quality club to play for again,” Jagarinec added.
Although it may only be his second season as head coach, Jagarinec has built a unique trust with his players, which provided them the confidence to remain loyal and wanting to return, despite doubts about the club’s future, with Heyman feeling “honoured to always work with him. He understands me as a player, but he understands me more as a person, so he understands how to get the best out of me.”
“There are always opportunities everywhere. I am a loyal player. Canberra has given me so much in my career, and all I want to do is be able to give that back. To have a Matilda playing in this league, to inspire the next generation of kids, that’s important to me,” added the striker, “I want to make sure Canberra is recognised as the incredible club it was back in the day, ” she continued.
While Canberra United have been on a “rollercoaster” as a club over the years, it is the loyalty of the players, including Matildas and A-League legend Heyman, that has kept the hopes of the club’s success alive throughout these periods of uncertainty.
“There were heaps of scouts trying to pull our players away, and opposition clubs, which is a credit to the players and a credit to what we did as a club last year, because there was success there, ” Jagarinec pointed out.
The 2024/25 season saw great success for the club, as the squad earned the opportunity to play finals football for the first time in four years, before being knocked out by Central Coast Mariners in the quarter finals.
“There was success there, albeit not first place, but there was success, ” says Jagerenic on Canberra’s previous season
Although they got painstakingly close to the victory they once knew, Canberra United are confident that with the strength and belief within the squad, they can reclaim their title of team to beat in this upcoming season, with Heyman assuring, “No matter what, if you can get together a good squad and can perform, then we can win this league.”
When asked her hopes for the upcoming season, Heyman put it simply as, “To win.”
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