EP 08: Erin Nayler - Olympique Lyonnais, Bayern München and 85 Caps for New Zealand

Erin Nayler takes us through her journey from a nine-year-old goalkeeper in New Zealand to 85 caps for the Football Ferns, Olympique Lyonnais, Bayern Munich, and ten years playing professionally across five countries.In this episode of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan Schmidt sits down with the former New Zealand international to trace one of the most well-travelled goalkeeper careers in the women's game. Erin talks about growing up as the only girl in a boys team, being cut from youth national teams for lacking confidence, and how discovering Hope Solo on YouTube changed her mindset ahead of a U20 World Cup where she was named the starting goalkeeper on the day of the opening game.We move through the ten years that followed. Erin is candid about her first professional contract at Sky Blue in the US that lasted three weeks before she was sent home, signing for Olympique Lyonnais at 21 alongside Wendie Renard and Sarah Bouhaddi, and the moves that followed to Bordeaux, Reading, Umeå IK in Sweden, and Bayern Munich. She talks openly about losing her mum while playing in France, the reality of missing weddings and birthdays as a New Zealand-based player in Europe, and how her identity became tied to being a goalkeeper.We also cover her move to Sydney and UNSW FC in the NPL, her honest assessment of Australian women's football, and Your Story, the pilot program she is launching in Sweden in January 2027 to support elite athletes navigating retirement.Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is a rare look at the reality of a decade in European women's football and the challenges that come after.IN THIS EPISODE▸ Starting in goal at 9 and playing on a boys team in New Zealand ▸ Being cut from youth national teams and how Hope Solo changed her mindset ▸ Getting cut after three weeks at Sky Blue in the US ▸ Signing for Olympique Lyonnais at 21 alongside Wendie Renard and Sarah Bouhaddi ▸ Moving through Bordeaux, Reading, and Umeå IK in Sweden ▸ Losing her mum while playing in France ▸ Two World Cups, the Rio Olympics, and 85 caps for the Football Ferns ▸ Signing for Bayern Munich after almost retiring in Sweden ▸ Facing Alex Morgan, Eugénie Le Sommer, and the US national team ▸ Moving to Sydney and signing for UNSW FC in the NPL ▸ Why the Matildas' success isn't reaching the A-League Women ▸ Your Story: her program supporting athletes after retirementCHAPTERS00:00 Intro 00:43 Welcome and meet Erin Nayler 03:53 Starting in goal at 9 and playing with the boys 06:39 Hope Solo, mindset shift, and going to the U20 World Cup 08:51 Cut after three weeks at Sky Blue in the US 11:18 Signing for Olympique Lyonnais at 21 14:08 Bordeaux, COVID, and moving to Reading 19:06 Coping with challenges and family loss 21:34 The reality of being far from home as a professional 24:13 Playing in the snow in Sweden 30:13 The best football culture: England, Sweden, or Germany 31:12 The best players she faced, from Alex Morgan to Le Sommer 32:19 Retiring at 34 and what comes next 34:11 Moving to Sydney and signing for UNSW FC in the NPL 36:52 How NPL football actually compares to Europe 40:08 The young Australian talent she thinks can play in Europe 41:46 Why the Matildas' success isn't reaching the A-League Women 44:15 Your Story: her project supporting athletes after retirement 50:16 Stoppage Time Questions 52:57 Advice for young footballers🎧 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Leave a comment or send us a text on Instagram if you have a question.