Daniela Galić
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 June 2006 | ||
| Place of birth | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Vittsjö | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2017–2021 | Football NSW Institute | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2024 | Melbourne City | 39 | (9) |
| 2024–2025 | Twente | 2 | (0) |
| 2025– | Vittsjö | 36 | (11) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022– | Australia U-20 | 21 | (7) |
| 2022– | Australia U-23 | 6 | (0) |
| 2024– | Australia | 6 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 2 November 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 13 October 2026 | |||
Daniela Galić (Croatian: [dǎni(j)e(ː)la ɡǎːlitɕ] da-NEEY-ela GAHL-ich; born 17 June 2006) is an Australian soccer player who plays as a midfielder or forward for Damallsvenskan club Vittsjö GIK and for the Australia national team. Widely regarded as one of the best young talents in Australian women's soccer, she is normally deployed as an attacking midfielder, though can also play as a striker or a winger.
Born in Sydney, she graduated from the Football NSW Institute before moving to Melbourne and being signed by A-League Women club Melbourne City. She later moved to Vrouwen Eredivisie club FC Twente before moving to Damallsvenskan club Vittsjö GIK to seek more game time. She has also represented Australia at under-20 and under-23 level.
Early life
Galić was born in 2006 in Sydney, and is of Croatian descent. She acknowledges her parents as inspirations to take up soccer; both had played for Lidcombe Waratahs, "her mother as a defensive midfielder, and her father as a striker". Galić began playing soccer at Lidcombe as a seven-year-old. Modelling her style of play off Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema, at 17 her ambitions were "to play professionally in a team overseas. To play in a World Cup. Win trophies. Play in the Champions League and win trophies."
Club career
Melbourne City
In October 2022, Galić signed her professional contract for Melbourne City. In her first season, she made 17 appearances and scored 2 goals.
In July 2024, Galić left Melbourne City to pursue an opportunity overseas.
Twente
A few weeks after leaving Melbourne City, it was announced Galić joined Vrouwen Eredivisie club Twente, signing a two-year contract.
On 26 September 2024, Galić scored her first goal for Twente in a 4–0 win over Croatian side Osijek in the second round of qualifiers for the 2024–25 UEFA Women's Champions League. The 8–1 aggregate win over Osijek meant that Twente had qualified for the Champions League, being the only Dutch team to do so after Ajax failed to qualify.
Vittsjö
On 14 July 2025, Galić signed for Damallsvenskan club Vittsjö GIK during the 2025 season. She made her competitive debut on 10 August 2025 in a 2–1 win at home over Piteå IF, in which she picked up a yellow card. The following week on 17 August 2025, she scored her first goal for the club, scoring the equaliser in a 1–1 away draw with Djurgårdens IF. She finished the season with four goals and three assists in 14 appearances (13 in the league and one in the Svenska Cupen).
Galić remained at Vittsjö for the 2026 season. She scored her first brace for the club on 5 September 2026, scoring two headers in a 5–0 home victory over IK Uppsala.
International career
In August 2022, Galić joined Australia U-20 (Young Matildas) squad for the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup held in Costa Rica. She participated in all three group stage games, against Costa Rica, Brazil and Spain, and providing one assist. For the Costa Rica match she was awarded Player of the Match. The Young Matildas finished third in their group and were eliminated.
In October 2024, Galić received her first senior call up to the Australian national team's squad by interim head coach Tom Sermanni. She made her debut in a 1–1 draw against Switzerland on 25 October, coming on as a substitute in the 78th minute. Described as "renowned for her clever footwork and creative vision on the field" by ABC News' Isha Singhal. The midfielder was praised for her "attacking flair and versatility" by former Matilda, Grace Gill. In February 2025 she represented Australia at the invitational SheBelieves Cup in the United States. She was substituted on during a 4–0 loss against Japan in Houston.
Galić returned to the national team setup when she was selected by head coach Joe Montemurro as part of a 26-player squad named for two friendlies against Germany in Karlsruhe and Haiti in Chambly, France on 9 and 13 October 2026, respectively. Montemurro praised her impressive performances at club level, explicitly describing her alongside Hana Lowry and Alana Murphy as "the next generation of midfielders" in a press conference. She came on as a substitute in a 7–1 victory over Haiti, scoring her first international goal. She described the goal as being "special".
Career statistics
Club
- As of 2 November 2026
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Cup | Apps | Goals | Cup | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Melbourne City | 2022–23 | A-League Women | 17 | 2 | — | — | 17 | 2 | ||||
| 2023–24 | A-League Women | 22 | 7 | 22 | 7 | |||||||
| Total | 39 | 9 | Total | 0 | 0 | Total | 0 | 0 | 39 | 9 | ||
| Twente | 2024–25 | Vrouwen Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | KNVB Women's Cup | 0 | 0 | UEFA Women's Champions League | 7 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 0 | Total | 0 | 0 | Total | 7 | 1 | 9 | 1 | ||
| Vittsjö GIK | 2025 | Damallsvenskan | 13 | 4 | Svenska Cupen | 4 | 0 | — | 17 | 4 | ||
| 2026 | Damallsvenskan | 24 | 7 | Svenska Cupen | 1 | 1 | 25 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 39 | 11 | Total | 5 | 1 | Total | 0 | 0 | 42 | 12 | ||
| Career total | 76 | 20 | Total | 5 | 1 | Total | 7 | 1 | 88 | 21 | ||
- ↑ There is currently no women's equivalent of the Australia Cup.
- ↑ The AFC Women's Champions League (AWCL) was not created until the 2024–25 season.
- ↑ Club did not play continental football.
International
- As of match played 13 October 2026
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2024 | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 6 | 1 | |
- Scores and results list Australia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Galić goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 13 October 2026 | Stade Walter-Luzi, Chambly, France |  Haiti | 5–1 | 7–1 | Friendly |
Honours
Individual
- A-League Women: Young Footballer of the Year: (2023-2024).
- 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup: Costa Rica U20 (hosts) vs Australia U20: Player of the Match.
Personal life
Galić is close friends with national team and former Melbourne City teammate Alexia Apostolakis, who she is roommates with for national team camps. Apostolakis has described her as being like "family".
References
- ↑ Day, Game. "Player Profile Daniela Galic". Football NSW Institute. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ↑ "Daniela Galić". Instagram.
- ↑ Pisani, Sacha (18 January 2023). "Meet the future of Australian football: Already an A-Leagues star at 16". ALeagues. Keepup. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ↑ "Summary - Daniela Galic - Results, fixtures, squad, statistics, photos, videos". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ↑ Soccer Show, Oz Cro. "S2, Ep 13". Oz Cro Soccer Show. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 Yap, Kieran (24 January 2024). "Daniela Galic: the rising star born into football". impetusfootball.org. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
Galic used her array of skills and tricks to torment the home side in front of over 30,000 fans and win player of the match.
- 1 2 3 Heddo, Taryn (6 March 2024). "Galic: The way you play, is the way you are". Matildas. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ↑ City, Melbourne. "Daniela Galic 24 Midfielder". Melbourne City Official Website. Melbourne City. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ↑ "Daniela Galic departs Melbourne City for overseas opportunity". Melbourne City. 1 July 2024.
- ↑ "Daniela Galic maakt overstap naar FC Twente Vrouwen" [Daniela Galic switches to FC Twente Women]. Twente (in Dutch). 23 July 2024.
- ↑ https://www.matildas.com.au/news/matildas-abroad-galic-scores-fc-twente-foord-picks-assist-domestic-leagues-continue
- ↑ "Daniela Galić ansluter från FC Twente" (in Swedish). Vittsjö GIK. 14 July 2025.
- ↑ "Vittsjös vassa värvning: Australiens landslagspjäs Daniela Galić" (in Swedish). SkåneSport. 14 July 2025.
- ↑ ""Gorrys arvtagerska" till Vittsjö: "Gillar inte tråkig fotboll"" (in Swedish). Kristianstadsbladet. 14 July 2025.
- ↑ "Vittsjö GIK 2–1 Piteå IF DFF" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 10 August 2025.
- ↑ "Djurgårdens IF 1–1 Vittsjö GIK" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 17 August 2025.
- 1 2 "Daniela Galić" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association.
- ↑ "Vittsjö GIK 5–0 IK Uppsala Fotboll" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 5 September 2026.
- ↑ Pisani, Sacha (6 September 2026). "Matilda's quick-fire brace fuels rout". Football360.
- ↑ Comito, Matt. "The Future of Australian Football: 16 year old lauded for stellar U20 World Cup Outing". Keepup. Matt Comito. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ↑ "FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup™". FIFA. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ↑ "CommBank Matildas squad confirmed for October Internationals". Matildas. Football Australia. 11 October 2024.
- ↑ "Galic: CommBank Matildas debut a "dream come true"". Matildas. Football Australia. 28 October 2024.
- 1 2 3 4 Singhal, Isha (2 February 2025). "Eight new Matildas debuted in 2024 — here's what they bring to Australia's national women's football team". ABC News. Archived from the original on 1 February 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Japan Downs Australia 4-0 to Open 2025 SheBelieves Cup, Presented by Visa, in Chilly Houston as Mina Tanaka Bags a Brace". ussoccer.com. 21 February 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
- ↑ "CommBank Matildas name three uncapped players for October international window". Matildas. 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Squad notes: three new faces & returning players headline October squad". Matildas. 24 September 2026.
- ↑ "Montemurro: Germany game means we can trial our ideas against the best". Matildas. 8 October 2026.
- ↑ "Matildas boss addresses Fowler situation, name drops three new faces that give him "goosebumps" in her & KCC absence". Football360. 8 October 2026.
- ↑ Bone, Alyssa (9 October 2026). "Big test for Tillies stars as Montemurro begins World Cup auditions". Nine's Wide World of Sports. Nine News.
- ↑ Clarke, Monica (9 October 2026). "Montemurro: "Building for June isn't just putting our best team out there"". Impetus Football.
- ↑ Harrington, Anna (9 October 2026). "Matildas coach backs Fowler's absence from friendlies". National Indigenous Times.
- ↑ "CommBank Matildas defeat Haiti 7–1 in comprehensive performance". Matildas. 14 October 2026.
- ↑ "🗣️ "Scoring was really special" | Daniela Galić reacts to her debut goal in green & gold". Matildas. 15 October 2026.
- 1 2 "Daniela Galić » Club matches". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ↑ Heddo, Taryn (15 March 2024). "Alexia Apostolakis: "Play like no one's there"". Football Australia.
External links
- Daniela Galić at Soccerway.com
- Daniela Galić at ESPN FC
- Daniela Galić at FBref.com
- Daniela Galić at Kicker (in German)
- Daniela Galić at the Swedish Football Association (in Swedish)
