Melbourne City have confirmed striker Holly McNamara will depart the club after five seasons, with the Matildas forward set to pursue opportunities overseas.
McNamara leaves City as the club’s all-time leading women’s goalscorer after scoring 45 goals in 66 appearances, capping a remarkable spell in Melbourne that also saw her help the club win three Premierships and one Championship.
The 23-year-old has established herself as one of the Ninja A-League’s most dangerous forwards despite overcoming multiple serious injuries during her time at City.
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Having already recovered from one anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury before joining the club in 2021, McNamara suffered further ACL injuries during the 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons before returning each time to re-establish herself among the league’s premier attackers and become a regular member of the Matildas squad.
Since making her senior international debut at the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, McNamara has gone on to make 19 appearances for Australia and score two international goals.
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“It’s definitely bittersweet to be leaving a Club that has meant so much to me over the past five years, but I feel ready for the next chapter in my career,” said McNamara.
“When I first joined City as a teenager, I never imagined everything we’d go on to achieve together.
“I’m so grateful to everyone at the Club who has supported me throughout the journey, especially through some of the tougher moments.
“Rado (Vidosic) gave me my first opportunity at the Club and had a huge belief in me from day one, while Dario (Vidosic) and Michael (Matricciani) have played such important roles in my development both as a player and person.
“To my teammates, coaches, staff and the fans who have supported me through the highs and lows, thank you. I’ll always be incredibly proud of what we achieved together at Melbourne City.”
Her individual honours at City included back-to-back Ninja A-League Golden Boots, the Young Footballer of the Year award in 2022, a shared Melbourne City Player of the Year award alongside Hannah Wilkinson in 2021-22 and the club’s Golden Boot in each of the past two seasons.
McNamara also starred in City’s AFC Women’s Champions League campaigns, scoring five goals in eight appearances to finish as this year’s tournament leading goalscorer. She also scored four hat-tricks during her time at City, the most by any player in Melbourne City Women’s history.
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Melbourne City Director of Football Michael Petrillo paid tribute to McNamara’s contribution across her five seasons at the club.
“The resilience and determination Holly has shown to overcome the setbacks she has faced perfectly illustrate why she has the right mindset to reach the very top level.
“She has been an incredibly important part of the success of our Women’s team since her arrival and has helped us continue to set the standards both on and off the pitch.
“We wish her all the very best as she prepares to take the next step in her career and explore opportunities overseas.”
