SEASON 2020 | Argentina international Gaby Garton signs for Essendon Royals

Essendon Royals Soccer Club’s senior women’s team will boast an international flavour this season with the significant signing of Argentina international Gaby Garton.

A member of Argentina’s 2019 FIFA Women’s’ World Cup squad, Garton represents a real coup for the Royals.

Garton has two senior caps for Argentina's national team and has played for Argentinean heavyweights River Plate and UAI Urquiza.

The international said she was excited for the opportunity to move to Australia and grateful to the Royals for the opportunity.

"When I was younger I always had a bit of an obsession with Australia," she said.

"I was out there with Argentina in late February, early March for the Four Nations tournament in Australia and made some contacts.

"I was fortunate enough to get introduced to some people in the game there and eventually was introduced to [Royals senior women's coach] Mick [Gallo] who was interested in talking to me when he heard I was interested in an opportunity in Australia.

"He said he'd watched me play in Australia and he spoke to me about his plans for women's football at the club and what's happening in Victoria in general and I became really enthused about the opportunity."

Aside from the playing challenges ahead, Garton said the opportunity to work with young female footballers at the club was another exciting opportunity.

"We've discussed the different coaching opportunities that exist and I really want to bring some of the South American passion I've been lucky enough to experience," he said.

"In the US I was always used to a very structured approach to football where it's all very serious and you only play when you practice or when you have a match.

"In Argentina, there's competition and it's serious but the main driver for the players is their passion for the game. You really see the benefits of unstructured and free play.

"I want to bring some of that experience and that passion to Essendon. I want to bring that contagious love for the game."

Royals senior women's coach Mick Gallo said he was delighted to be able to welcome a player of such experience and stature to the club.

"She's going to bring a really professional mindset to the team and she's going to be a great advocate for women's football in the state," he said.

"As a goalkeeper, she's an amazing shot-stopper. I remember sitting in the stands at AAMI Park when she was playing for Argentina against Matildas.

"She came off the bench with Argentina already down and she was stopping everything the Matildas could throw at her."

Gallo said he reached out to Garton once he found out she was interested in an Australian opportunity.

"She left her contact details with a friend of mine so I reached out and we had a good chat about the club, what we can offer, how we want to grow and the role she can play in that," he said.

"Just to have someone with that experience is massive for us on the pitch, but off the pitch to be able to have a great female goalkeeping coach for our juniors will be fantastic."

Garton and her husband will move to Australia early in the new year in time for the women's team's pre-season program.

The club is still conducting trials for the 2020 senior, reserves and under-18 teams. To register your interest, fill out the registration form HERE.

Stay tuned for more from Gaby and her fantastic story.