After a lengthy, prolonged 10-month search, Football Australia have finally got their man, with Joe Montemurro putting pen to paper to become the new Matildas coach.

And the well-credentialed Montemurro’s new era will begin in WA, with the Australian to take the reins for the Matildas’ four-game stint in Perth and Bunbury against Slovenia and Panama.

Montemurro resigned from French powerhouse Olympique Lyonnais after just one season to head home and take up the Matildas job, which has been vacant since Tony Gustavsson departed after the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Interim Tom Sermanni’s stint will finally end against Argentina in Canberra on Monday night after a drawn-out process to find the new Matildas coach finally came to an end.

The 15th coach of the Matildas, Montemurro’s success at Melbourne City a decade ago catapulted him to the upper echelons of European football.

Across four years with Arsenal, Montemurro won the Women’s Super League and League Cup, before he spent three years at Italian giants Juventus.

During his time in Italy, Montemurro won the Serie A in 2021-22 and two Coppa Italia trophies, before he headed to France to take up a post with Lyon in the season just gone.

Under Montemurro’s tenure, Lyon won the Premiere League title by going unbeaten and winning 20 of 22 games, beofre winning the post-season play-offs as well.

However, they came in for criticism in cup competitions after losing on penalties to Stade de Reims in the Coupe de France round of 32.

And their near-perfect Champions League campaign was tarnished in the semifinals when, having won every game up til that point, they were thumped 4-1 by Arsenal in the second leg, costing them a spot in the final.

Montemurro’s attention will now turn immediately to the looming AFC Women’s Asian Cup, to be held in Australia in March next year, with the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil 15 months later.

The Matildas will kick off their Asian Cup campaign in Perth, with Optus Stadium hosting both the opener and a semifinal and HBF Park also due to host eight games.