More than 75,000 fans have thanked Matildas veteran Lydia Williams, who bid an emotional farewell to home fans after more than 100 caps, five World Cups and two Olympic games for the national side in Sydney on Monday night.
Before one final appearance in the gloves on home soil, the packed Stadium Australia crowd, teammates and opponents honoured the champion goalkeeper under dimmed lights with a pre-match ceremony joined by tennis hero Evonne Goolagong Cawley.
The Matildas' second of two friendlies against China, and final fixture ahead of the Paris Games starting next month, played host as the occasion to say goodbye 19-years on from Williams' debut.
Last month the 36-year-old announced her plans to retire from international level after the upcoming Olympics.
Ahead of the starting whistle, Goolagong Cawley presented Williams with a Booka - a traditional Noongar kangaroo skin cloak, in a nod to her journey and long standing career.
The champion goalkeeper's emotions ran high alongside teammates before briefly appearing to succumb to the occasion, making her way to the goals before jogging back towards the centre of the field for the pre-match huddle.
Speaking on Sunday, Williams said her final appearance in Australia would be "a closing of the circle".
"You don't really get much time as an athlete to have hindsight," Williams said on Sunday.
"You have to move on from tournament to tournament, from club season to club season.
"Over the last few months, I've been able to have that recollection and reflection on my career.
"It's definitely going to be really emotional. I'm just really excited to share one more final moment (with the team) on the pitch."
As the seconds ticked down to half time, the stands were called to applaud Williams for a final time, and after another clean sheet in the national uniform.
The 35-year-old removed her captain's armband, and space in the goals for recent first-choice keeper Mackenzie Arnold in a symbolic moment.
Arnold said Williams had been a huge influence in her career, and someone who she followed in the footsteps of speaking post-match.
The Matildas ran-out 2-nil winner after second half goals from Clare Wheeler and Hayley Raso.
Williams embraced with teammates after the final whistle.
Post match, Williams said the night was a "cherry on top" and a rare chance to soak in all in after almost two decades in the Matildas.
"It hasn't hit me yet," she said.
"It was probably the first time that I've really allowed myself to soak in the atmosphere and let myself feel it all."
The Matildas had sold out more than a dozen consecutive games in Australia before packing 76,000 into the stands at Homebush.
Williams said of the humble crowds and attention to heights reached in recent years "I think that was probably why I was just so emotional".
"It's just incredible..if I had any step along the way to help this journey that that's all I could do because you know the girls are worth it, the sport's worth it and where we're making role models and future Matildas and Socceroos," she said.
Williams kept tight-lipped on whether she would be on the plane to Paris before the the Matildas announce their Olympic squad on Tuesday morning.
