If young defender Karly Roestbakken retains her place in the Matildas' starting line-up for the round of 16 clash with Norway early Sunday morning, there is no chance she will have divided loyalties.
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Her father Jack is Norwegian and played in that country's second league before moving to Australia, where the Canberra United defender was brought up.
He will be at the game in Nice to watch his 18-year-old daughter and will be as proud as punch that she is part of the Matildas squad whether she starts or not.
He will also be delighted to see the two nations that have played such an important role in his life meet in such a high-stakes game.
"I tell you my dad's not going to miss that game. I reckon a few of my relatives might come over as well so we'll see how that goes. It's gonna be an awesome game," Roestbakken said as she anticipated the clash.
Asked if any relatives might be barracking for the Scandinavians she was ambivalent - although she knew for certain that her immediate family would be behind her.
"Nuh, no way. You never know. My family, they back me 100 per cent. So they might be Norwegian but they're putting on this jersey," she says, pointing to an Australian shirt.
Her father had planned to come to Europe during the northern hemisphere summer but accelerated his trip once his daughter was called into the Matildas squad at short notice and was then picked to make her first starting XI appearance against Jamaica.
''My dad's here. Just my dad came over because it was a bit late notice. He actually arrived just in time for the game," Roestbakken said.
''He was heading over to Norway because that's where he's originally from. He went to Norway and planned it around that and flew from Norway to here. So it actually worked out well.''
Roestbakken had made her debut for the Matildas just a few days earlier when she came off the bench in the final moments of that frantic and memorable win over Brazil in Montpellier.
She got her first start when coach Ante Milicic rotated his squad and rested makeshift left-back Elise Kellond-Knight for the game with Jamaica.
Kellond-Knight, if fit, is likely to come back for the Norway game but there is every chance that Roestbakken will be on the bench.
If she is called on to start again she is confident that she has learned enough from her rapid exposure to do Milicic proud.
"I was a bit nervous going out there [against Jamaica in Grenoble] but I just wanted to do what I could for the team," she said.
"I just wanted to work hard and do my job.
"There were a couple of moments where they could have got on top but we just needed to refresh, relax and settle. Once we did that we were composed and just controlled the game.
"He [Milicic] just pretty much said 'Go and have fun and play your game and enjoy the moment. You only get to do this once'.
"He also said we need to stick to our principles as a team, stick to how we play, then we can go out there and do our thing."
It was noticeable that Milicic, whose coaching bench was stationed on Roestbakken's side of the pitch in the first half, was motioning to her and giving her advice early in the game.
She was happy to receive it.
''Just little things in the game. [He was saying] 'Tuck in, tuck out. Keep it simple Karly, keep going. Build into the game'. Things like that.''
Roestbakken was as surprised as anyone to be at this World Cup.
She wasn't included in the original squad and was preparing to watch it all on television when she got a call-up to replace Laura Allenby, who had to pull out through injury.
"It all happened so quickly and I haven't been able to process it that much but it's an unreal feeling, it's unbelievable," Roestbakken said.
"It's something I've wanted to do for a long time, put on this jersey. So to be able to do that at a World Cup is amazing."
She was equally surprised to have been given a starting chance as a teenager.
"There's a lot of depth in the team so really anyone could've got that position. It's a tough decision and I know there's a lot of depth so I'm just fortunate that I got picked"
Perhaps, she conceded, her capacity to handle the physical side of the game helped.
"I played with the boys when I was younger. I got my aggression and physicality from there. I learnt how to pretty much tackle boys. That's where I got it from."
She also cites the presence of Young Matildas coach Garry Van Egmond - also the assistant coach of the senior Matildas - as a positive factor in settling into the senior squad so quickly.
"It's been extremely important. Gary's been there with me all the way. Having him there in the Young Matildas and having him here has been a huge comfort zone. He's backed me all the way 100 per cent and he's phenomenal as a coach so it's great having him there on the sideline."
- The Age/SMH
