The 25-year-old ended weeks of speculation when she last month inked a deal to join Arsenal in England’s burgeoning Women’s Super League competition.
While it’s not Foord’s first move abroad, the former Sydney FC star will need to hit the ground running at the reigning WSL champions who boast a squad littered with some of the world’s best players.
The Matildas' Olympic qualification campaign has meant Foord has yet to make the move to north London to meet her new manager, Australian coaching maestro Joe Montemurro, but she revealed going into camp has helped focus her mind during a period of big change in her life.
“It’s kinda weird at the moment because things don’t feel any different as I came straight from the W-League into the Matildas camp,” Foord said.
“There are so many massive changes on the horizon which is very exciting but also very daunting.
“The Arsenal opportunity came about very quickly but with all the challenges of organising visas and other logistics it was quite a process.
“Being able to put all my energy into the Matildas’ Olympic qualifying campaign, as well as being around so many familiar faces, has helped take my mind off the stresses which come with such a big move."
It’s a situation shared by Foord’s Matildas teammates Chloe Logarzo and Hayley Raso who are also making the move to the WSL at the conclusion of the Olympic qualifying tournament after signing with Bristol City and Everton respectively.
Foord revealed Matildas superstar and close friend Sam Kerr played a big role in helping her decision to join Arsenal.
“I was speaking to Sam a lot and asking her a million questions about everything she had encountered in her move to Chelsea,” she said.
“Obviously in camp we are focusing mostly on the games ahead but there have been a few chances to talk with Sam, Chloe and Hayley about the WSL and playing in Europe.
“Sam is the only one who has already made the move and played in a few games. It is very much a big unknown for the rest of us and something which we will just have to wait and see when we get there."
Before that can happen Foord is expected to play a major role for the Matildas as they set out to secure their ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Australia will kick off their campaign with a match against Chinese Taipei at Campbelltown Stadium on Friday night before backing up at the same ground on Monday for a clash against Thailand.
The Matildas wrap up their qualifying tournament on February 13 with a crunch fixture against China at Bankwest Stadium.
The Olympic qualifiers have had their fair share of controversy after they were first moved from Nanjing in China to Sydney due to the outbreak of coronavirus.
The epidemic has also forced multiple fixture changes while China’s team has been stuck in a Brisbane hotel for a number of day as they are quarantined for any signs of the illness.
Foord said it was a relief the games were moved to Sydney and called on her Matildas teammates to make the most of the opportunity to play such important fixtures in their own backyard.
“To have any game in Australia is really exciting. I don’t think I have been involved in a major competitive fixture in Australia before so it’s a big deal to play in such an important tournament on home soil,” she said.
“Admittedly it has been a bit of an unusual lead up to these games but as a team we’ve taken things easy and focused on what we have to do in our preparation for these important qualifying matches.
“The China game is probably going to be the toughest test but in saying that we will need to give everything in the matches against Thailand and Chinese Taipei if we are to ensure we qualify for the Olympics.”
A member of the Matildas squad at the Rio Olympics in 2016, Foord said she hopes she gets another opportunity to represent Australia at the games.
“Obviously the World Cup is the pinnacle for football but the Olympics is not far behind,” she said.
“No matter what sport you play the chance to participate at an Olympic Games is something any athlete would want.
“We had a great tournament in Rio but we know we can go further.
“The most important thing now is getting the job done in qualifying so we can book our ticket to Tokyo.”
