Katie McCabe leads the girls in green for their first match in Sydney this morning.
Katie McCabe's dad has paid tribute to his incredible daughter ahead of Ireland's first Women's World Cup match.
The footballer's father Gerry said it was incredible to see his daughter's dreams finally come true.
The FAI played a special message for the team ahead of their Group B clash this morning.
The proud dad said football has been so important to Katie McCabe from a young age.
"That was when she was about four or five. So, eventually, we got her out to the mini-World Cup, this is going back to 2001.
"You could just see there was something different about her than the other kids. She had a little something that other kids didn't have. She ended up joining a team then when she was six but as the years progressed she just stood out all the time.
"On the pitch, even when she played with the boys for a couple of years, she just had that special talent all through her life, really, and she still has it now, thank God."
Her dad said all the team can do is their best, but he knows they will give it 100%.
"You see her come out on the pitch, and a little tear comes to my eye, and a lump in my throat. I have to turn away so nobody sees me. No doubt that'll happen again on Thursday."
"Yeah, it's gonna be fantastic to see your daughter come out like that, it's the pinnacle of your career to get to that stage, the World Cup."
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