Exclusive: Ex-Matilda Tracie McGovern 'never ever resented' posing nude for 1999 athletes calendar

Today, the Matildas are one of Australia's national treasures, but it was a very different story for not so many years ago.

Now the national women's football team's players are household names, but when former player Tracie McGovern was on the team, many of her fellow teammates were forced to work part-time jobs to make ends meet. They wouldn't have dreamed of having the recognition the team does today.

But one idea did, in fact, have the power to launch them to stardom – albeit, one that was a little controversial.

READ MORE: Britons bin their copies of Prince Harry's memoir on holiday

In 1999, a number of team members decided to get together to publish a calendar to garner some much-needed publicity ahead of the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

But this wouldn't be any old calendar, this was a nude calendar.

Though this was a fairly popular marketing technique in the '90s, the Australian team's iteration became so popular, it was covered in media both nationally and overseas.

READ MORE: How to buy FIFA Women's World Cup merch

"The 2000 Matildas nude calendar is a part of Australian Women's Footballing history where we used the opportunity to get the Matildas brand out to the public leading into the Sydney 2000 Olympics," McGovern told 9Honey.

"The objective was achieved," she said, with the funds and infrastructure needed for the team secured with the money from the now-infamous calendar.

"It was mainly about the profile," she told BBC Sport "We wanted to get bums on seats at the Games, but I don't think any of us expected the attention that we got."

McGovern is part of the group of former players involved in the Australian delegation for the FIFA Women's World Cup tournament, which started last night with a victory for the Matildas.

She shared that despite the controversial nature of the calendar, she doesn't resent having to do it.

"I've never ever resent[ed] doing the calendar..." she explained to 9Honey. "Whilst that era may have been known for the calendar, this generation is known for their footballing and that is all that matters now."

READ MORE: Mum's warning after hair clip almost kills daughter

"The Matildas reputation speaks for itself now. They're known as footballers. It's no longer gender based, they're Australian footballers. They're recognised now for their skills, not for doing a naked calendar.

"My hopes for women's football, especially in Australia is for this World Cup and the achievements of our Matildas is that, like Cathy Freeman said, we get "into the blood of everyone" and it transitions football into Australia's no 1 sport."

McGovern, who now runs her own business, The Australian Sportswoman, also shared her own personal reasons for participating in the controversial shoot.

READ MORE: Britons bin their copies of Prince Harry's memoir on holiday

She shared she "was shamed as a teenager for having an athletic body so I covered up in baggy clothes a lot.

"So in response I took my clothes off to show my athletic figure and make a statement that I didn't want to be a shamed of it anymore. So what if I have football legs and a solid butt?!"

Her pride shows in the fact that she still has a copy of the calendar displayed in her own home, being a daily sight for her family members.

"My kids just say, 'Oh no, not your bum again, Mum!'" she told the BBC.