Courtney Nevin kicking goals in her blossoming football career

The 14-year-old has just returned from Vietnam, where she represented Australia as part of the Mini Matildas, and over the next two years, will to help it qualify for the next world cup.

Nevin has been playing football at a high level since she was about 11, and the Vietnam trip, where she played against a number of foreign countries, has been the highlight so far.

“I was just so excited when I found out I was going to play for the Mini Matildas,” she said.

“I was wrapped and couldn't wait to go get off the plane. I was really pumped and ready. I had a lot of adrenaline.”

The left winger emerged from the tournament as the leading goal scorer, in a team which toweled up the opposition.

Despite scoring 10 goals in the tournament, Nevin played down her role.

“I thought I did alright. I made a few mistakes but I made up for them with some good things as well,” she said.

The heat in Hanoi, Vietnam, where the games were played was intense, and Nevin and her team mates were forced to play one game in 38 degree heat, with a high humidity level too.

Nevin said the match was a hard slog, but at the level of football she was playing, she simply had to get over it.

“It was pretty hard but you had to toughen up and just keep doing what you are doing and try not to worry about the humidity and the heat,” she said.

The match did teach her one lesson: Over the next 12 months she is going to work to improve her fitness to be able to handle adverse conditions.

The Mini Matildas want to qualify for the world cup, and the next stop is a tournament in China next year.

“I am very excited about the next two years. I just have to keep working hard so I get picked in the team again and hopefully I can get to go,” she said.

When not in the Matildas, Nevin plays in a number of representative teams, one of which is coached by former Australian footballer Craig Foster.

Nevin said Foster was an amazing coach, who always provided great advice.