Sydney FC wing-back Deborah-Anne De La Harpe declares for Ireland

Sydney FC wing-back Deborah-Anne De La Harpe has declared for the Republic of Ireland.

Australian born to an Irish mother, the 22-year-old hopes to receive Fifa clearance in time to feature against China in Cadiz on Thursday as Vera Pauw’s squad begin preparations for this summer’s World Cup.

As part of a global search for talent eligible to play for Ireland, Pauw has already called up English-born Manchester United defender Aoife Mannion (27) and American-born attacking midfielder Marissa Sheva (25), who both featured in a non-capped friendly against Germany last Friday in Marbella, Spain.

“I finally got my passport and that took a while,” said De La Harpe, having previously represented Australia at under-19s. “[The process] started over the last few years. I got in contact in October.”

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De La Harpe’s mother, formerly Adele Wilson, moved to Australia from Larne county Antrim in the late 1970s.

“I’m the first generation of my mum’s family that wasn’t born in Ireland, I have gone back to visit since I was 11-years-old, spending solid blocks of time there, so it is very much like a second home for me. I’ve family in Ballyclare in the countryside.

“I’m very much a Sydney girl.”

That fact alone could add spice to the opening World Cup match between the host nation and Ireland at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium on July 20th.

“I really enjoy playing in the wing-back position,” said De La Harpe. “I love attacking and getting forward, putting crosses in and that is more my game, opportunities to combine and run with the ball.

“Honestly, I am versatile. In the A-League, I have played centre-back and full-back and wing. Wherever the coach wants me to play I will always give 110 per cent and make it my own.”

[ World Cup countdown: An inside look at Vera Pauw’s Ireland training ]

The Matildas beat Spain 3-2 on Sunday morning in a mini-tournament, the Nations Cup, where they began as they mean to continue in 2023 by wearing rainbow coloured numbers to support the LGBTQ+ community while Chelsea striker Sam Kerr donned the “Pride Progress” captain’s armband.

“We’re an inclusive team and football really is for everyone,” said Kerr. “Everyone should feel welcomed, everyone should feel comfortable in whatever skin they want be, whoever they want to be, whoever they want to love.

“I hope the message that is received by the public is a really positive one because as a team we are really accepting of each other. It’s made me really proud that the whole team want to wear this jersey and we send a message of being really inclusive and loving one another no matter what.”

After Fifa threatened yellow cards for seven European team captains, including Harry Kane, Gareth Bale and Virgil van Dijk, if they wore the “One Love” armband during the Qatar World Cup, all seven leaders backed down.

Rainbow flags and clothing were forcibly taken from supporters and journalists outside several stadiums in Doha last year, while Palestinian flags were allowed, with the Moroccan players even carrying one around the pitch after beating Spain in the last 16 penalty shoot-out.

Player protest is a growing feature in this women’s World Cup year as the Spanish squad travelled to Australia without 15 players, including their Barcelona contingent and current Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, who refuse to play under national manager Jorge Vilda.

[ Vera Pauw: ‘There are players we did not invite yet because they have to show full commitment to Ireland’ ]

The precise issues of the exiled players are unclear but all 15 emailed the Spanish federation last year, stating: “I inform you that the events that have occurred and the situation that has arisen in the Spanish national team, a situation of which you are aware, are having an important effect on my emotional state, and by extension my health. As a result, I do not currently consider myself to be in a condition to be chosen for the national team, and I ask not to be called up until the situation is resolved.”

Vilda is reported to have created an environment of anxiety and stress, forcing established players to leave training in tears. However, the Federation have stood behind its manager, even demanding that the exiled players “accept their mistake and ask for forgiveness” before being allowed to play for Spain again.

Canada, Ireland’s second opponents in Group B, lost 2-0 to the USA on Thursday while “playing under protest” after Canada Soccer threatened to sue the players if they took strike action over equal pay and reduced investment in their World Cup preparations.

In 2021 the FAI and Irish players agreed to receive equal match appearance fee for male and female internationals but this came at no cost to the association as Ireland captain Seámus Coleman ensured that the men would take a pay cut to create parity.