New Zealand defender Michaela Foster’s journey from working in a supermarket to FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023

Just nine months ago, Michaela Foster was working in a supermarket to supplement her wage, as her first scholarship contract with football club Wellington Phoenix required a second job.

Now, the supermarket has been exchanged with a full-time football career and a spot in the New Zealand national team for the country’s home FIFA Women's World Cup.

"There are some really good people there (at the supermarket). It was a really cool environment to be among," Michaela Foster said, according to BBC Sport.

The Phoenix player’s father, the New Zealand 'All Black' men's rugby coach, Ian Foster, had already bought tickets for New Zealand’s opening game, before he knew his daughter was going to feature on the squad list.

It was a “really proud” dad, who picked up the phone, when he received the message from his daughter that she was picked by head coach Jitka Klimková for the World Cup.

"I think he ran out of a meeting to take it, so it was a quick phone call but a very proud one, and then I spent an hour on the phone talking to mum about it. It was really special to share that moment with them both,” she said.

Michaela Foster has proved her big talent at the U17 World Cup 2016, where she captained the New Zealand team. Two years later, she also played at the U20 World Cup in France. In February, she finally got her debut for the New Zealand women’s national football team in a 2-0 loss to Argentina.

Another proud moment for her father, the All Blacks coach, who has followed his daughter’s sporting career closely.

“She’s chasing her dreams, she’s shown a lot of ambition to make it in soccer and this is just another step for her. She’s really cut this path by herself, she’s done really well and my job as a dad is just to be like every other kids dad and support her and love her on the journey.” Ian Foster told NZ Herald.

Michaela Foster has played six games for the New Zealand national team before the start of the Women’s World Cup.

New Zealand are placed in group A with Norway, Swtizerland, and the Philippines.

Watch now -  "World at their Feet" - Women's World Cup original series

During the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, all episodes of the Olympic Channel origial series 'World at their Feet' will be available to stream now for free on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and on the official Olympics apps for mobile and connected TV devices.