Above: Kyah Simon in training for Dijon. Image: Jean-Pierre Thiesset for Impetus.
by Jean-Pierre Thiesset (22/12/2025).
Impetus’ Football’s Jean-Pierre Thiesset interviewed Kyah Simon about her latest journey in France and how it compares to the rest of her illustrious career. The striker represents Australia, earning 111 caps and scoring 29 goals. In 2011, Simon became the first Indigenous Australian player to score a goal in a FIFA Women’s World Cup. She signed a 1-year contract with Dijon in the Arkema Première Ligue in October 2025.
Jean-Pierre Thiesset: What drew you to France, and Dijon specifically?
Kyah Simon: For me, I have always been aware of the French league being one of the first league in Europe, but it was quite a random way I guess how it came about. It was through a friend I know, who was an agent; when the Dijon sporting director, who was looking for another striker, got in touch with him and became aware of my situation. At the time I was training and looking myself back up in Sydney. It was, yeah, quite an urgent request to respond and I had to make a decision fairly quickly from being in Sydney with my family and deciding within 24 hours. I think what draws me is obviously knowing France Première League is one of the top leagues in Europe and I wanted to get back in European high-level football. I had a great conversation with Sylvain Carric, Sporting Director, and it just made sense for my career at the time.
JPT: After playing in England, Holland, and the US, how does each league style and standard compare with Australia?
KS: I would say definitely across the board it is very different. I would say in the US obviously it is very athletic and direct.
In Holland, I guess it was a similar experience than to Australia, in terms of level of football there.
In England, I think probably it is definitely out there that there is the highest quality league in the world with the top players they have in terms of well-known players, big names players, and from very different countries.
I think France is that league that flies under the radar a little bit but with high quality players very technical and tactical winners. It is a very consistent league across the board with obviously top teams like Lyon (OL Lyonnes), which has always been strong for years.
I guess Australian league was involved in changes during the last years from when a lot of the core of us experienced players were in the league. Now there are more young players coming through, which is great for development, but I think obviously the experience from either over the world or different national teams is important and there is not much of that now in the league.
JPT: After some injury hit seasons, how are you feeling, and has the change of environment helped?
KS: Yeah, for me I definitely felt like I needed a change in environment being back in a really professional environment here in Dijon club in terms of the facilities and the set up and being a full-time professional football player. Dijon offered that to me and coming from the A-League I think for me it was just time to change the environment. I had a difficult couple of years with injuries, and it has been a real challenge and struggle for me to just find some rhythm and momentum, and I think the first thing was to be in the highest professional environment that will take care of me first and foremost and then built step by step.
You know, coming here first in Dijon, there will always be a teaming period and having to settle in a new environment in a non-English country (laugh). There are a lot of challenges that come in place, but the one cool thing is that every day I wake up and I am really excited to looking forward to coming to the club. I want to put in the work and get myself back to the best form that I know I can and have patience with myself at the same time. I just cannot expect it to happen overnight but knowing that I got the full support of the club and everyone here has just really settled me and is taking those baby steps with me, hopefully I have a very good feeling. So, I think that it has been very good to have understanding, feel understood as well and know what it takes to help me get back to my best.
JPT: Have you had any contact from Joe Montemurro since he took over the Matildas job?
KS: Yes, I have, we talked a few times, and he said that going to Dijon was a good option for me. Again, it is the same as everyone else, it is just about playing and getting back matches minutes which I think ultimately that is the goal for everyone.
He is a great guy, and I had a few conversations with him. Ultimately it is about getting match minutes, and it is the goal for me and for everyone involved and whatever happens from those match minutes will happen you know. Until I got back on the pitch and got regular minutes that is the key to everything.
JPT: There has been a lot of talk recently about how successfully the A-League Women built on having the 2023 World Cup played in Australia. What would you like to see happen to further develop the competition?
KS: Yeah, look, after the World Cup I think we do not capitalize as much on the tournament. I think it was a missed opportunity. Salary is the number one thing for players to be able to be on full-time contract and to have a long enough season where you have a preseason and off-season period. Again, I mean the wages need to increase.
Also, it should be an all-around the year competition because until you have that, numerous players, majority in each team, have a different job or need to work elsewhere. Until you do not have the players on full-time wages and they do not have to have another job, they will always be splitting interest, and it is not ideal for training time. So, there is so much that flows on from that, that high salary with full-time contract and more support and resources around the league are necessary.
I think until you have that, the product itself will never be taken seriously and be attractive to compete with European leagues. You cannot compete with any other leagues until I guess you put those measures in place. Right now, it is an easy decision for Australian players to go oversea where they will be on a full-time season salary. In Australia a lot of players are left in limbo during the off-season period and are playing in a lower level trying to make money. Some players are not even playing for months, and they lose that kind of momentum and cohesion that you try to build in the team and each time you must restart from scratch.
However, I would like to say that the competition is a really healthy place because it is a league where pretty much majority of Matildas came through and that is the ongoing league that we all came through and developed through. So, A-League is essentially the portal for national team, and by fixing it domestically, it will benefit national team for the future.
JPT: Do you want to say a few words to your numerous fans in Dijon, Australia and all over the world?
KS: Obviously, with my 17 years of professional career, I would not be where I am without the fans’ support. Particularly, when I have not been on the pitch and going through a difficult time being injured. They had been patient with my process, and I really appreciated that and their understanding that at the end of the day no one wants to be on the pitch playing as much as I am. I am working as hard as I possibly can because I want to be back at top level and play and train consistently week in and week out.
I really appreciate the support from the fans all around the world wherever they are from. It is very appreciated when they send me a nice message on social media or when I meet nice people at games. I would definitely say, stick with us and stick with me and hopefully we could share some good moments in the future.
I would say that since I am in Dijon I met some lovely kind people in the club where they were friendly but also outside in Dijon.
I am enjoying being back in Europe. It is a new experience for me, and I guess at my age still being to experience something new in football it is the gift that keeps on giving for me and I am just enjoying the ride.
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