The Arsenal goalkeeper sits on 99 international caps, and will likely become the first goalkeeper to notch 100 for the side if she takes to the field against Spain or Portugal.

Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson said the Canberra goal stopper was first and foremost an amazing player and person.

But he was grateful to be involved in a small part of her career.

"She's a role model in so many more ways than just the goalkeeper, there's so much to her story and her personality," he said.

"She's a huge part of the DNA of this team. So that's going to be a huge one.

"I'm only a very, very small part of something that is much bigger than me, and Lydia represents that in a really, really nice way, and she should be really proud."

The 34-year-old has been named in the Australian squad filled with new talent for the international friendlies in late June against the football powerhouses.

More than half the squad will have 10 caps or fewer heading into the battle against the world No. 7's Spain, and lower-ranked Portugal.

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Williams joins more senior players named in the squad, such as Clare Polkinghorne, Emily Van Egmond, Katrina Gorry, and Emily Gielnik.

Key personnel Sam Kerr, Steph Catley, Alanna Kennedy, Kyah Simon, Mary Fowler, Caitlin Foord, and Hayley Raso are being given a needed break.

Gustavsson said he had pushed to get his side a game against Spain and Portugal ahead of the 2023 World Cup, but explained it was best for the "long term plan" to rest some players.

One crucial player not named was former Canberra United defender Ellie Carpenter.

The key Matildas fullback will be sidelined for months due to an ACL injury she sustained last month with her club, Olympique Lyonnais, in the Champions League final.

The Australian national team coach said player load was a concern before it happened, emphasising why Kerr and others had been rested.

"I can't shy away from the fact that this is a really tough one, especially for Ellie, I really feel for her," Gustavsson said.

"Honestly, we were a bit concerned before it happened because a couple of players were on the edge too, in terms of their load.

"As a coach, it was kind of, 'Can we please get out of this game and get to the summer break' and unfortunately this happened to Ellie."

The Matildas have lost all recent fixtures without Carpenter, recording a 3-2 loss to Ireland in September, a 4-3 loss to the United States at Tokyo - following her red card in the match prior - and suffered a 5-2 loss to Germany without her before that.

Gustavsson emphasised anyone could see the results when the 22-year-old did not don the green and gold for them.

"We can't shy away from that. It's just a fact," he said.

"But we need to have a positive and optimistic mindset.

"I want to be very clear here, we also need to be realistic on the expectation on that player. We need to be fair to this player that steps in that we can't expect that player to be Ellie, that player has to step in and be themselves.

"It might be a different type of right back as well, because you don't really have a copy of Ellie Carpenter, she's very unique."