Football
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Lisa De Vanna wants to make fourth World Cup, beat quarterfinal hoodoo

Matildas veteran Lisa De Vanna has her sights set on making it to a fourth World Cup, and she doesn't want to come away empty-handed.

De Vanna thought the 2015 World Cup in Canada would be her last.

But the 33-year-old is now gunning for one more, and believes her body and mind are in good enough shape to make it to the 2019 World Cup in France.

The Matildas were knocked out in the quarterfinals in each of the past three World Cups.

But Australia's women's football team are now an international powerhouse after rising to fourth in the world rankings.

Striker Sam Kerr has played a huge role in the Matildas' rise up the ranks, with the side also boasting a glut of other stars.

De Vanna is desperate to make it to the next World Cup, and she believes the Matildas have the potential to make it to the tournament decider.

"We've been to three World Cups, and we always make it to the quarterfinals," De Vanna said.

"And for some reason, even in the Olympics, we can't take it the next step.

"But now that the team is more mature and gelled together a bit more, I think we've got the potential and the belief to take it to the next step.

"We've been together for a long time. There's no excuses when it comes to the next World Cup.

"I want to at least make it to the finals."

But first, the Matildas need to qualify for the World Cup.

To do that, they need to finish in the top five at next month's Asian Cup in Jordan.

The Matildas will warm-up for the Asian Cup with a friendly against Thailand at Perth's nib Stadium on Monday night.

The Matildas won the Asian Cup in 2010, but lost the final to Japan in 2014.

Kerr, who has taken the football world by storm over the past year, said the Asian Cup win in 2010 was still one of her favourite memories.

Japan, who also knocked the Matildas out of the last World Cup, loom as one of Australia's biggest threats in the upcoming edition.

"It always sucks losing to Japan," Kerr said of the 2014 loss. "They seem to knock us out in big moments.

"We kind of got one over them in the Tournament of Nations [last year], but it doesn't really mean anything [if it's not a] major tournament."

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