From beach soccer in Cairns to one of Australia’s most marketable athletes, the rise of Mary Fowler has seen the Matildas star eclipse her NRL champion boyfriend Nathan Cleary.
But the Manchester City striker, who steered her side into the League Cup final with a two-goal performance against Arsenal, is richer in more ways than just money.
While her boyfriend is one of the leading earners in Australia, pocketing $1.2million a year from his contract at Penrith along with third-part deals with with Adidas, Rexona and Channel 9, Fowler has cracked the global market.
Still just 21, Fowler has signed endorsement deals with a host of different brands including Weet-Bix, CommBank, L’Oréal Paris, Samsung, Adidas, Rebel Sports, Cupra, Barbie and Rise & Shine Kindergarten.
She is not letting her enormous wealth and marketing power get to her head, though, recently posting a series of pictures from her north Queensland holiday with Cleary and the caption: “My kinda rich”.
It is the humility that her agent Josh White, CEO of sports and entertainment marketing agency Always Human Group, says has positioned her as one of the most marketable young athletes on the planet.
Australian Matildas star Mary Fowler has every reason to smile after becoming a smash hit both on and off the pitch
Despite all of her success, Fowler remains grounded and recently shared images from her recent Australian holiday with boyfriend Nathan Cleary, saying “my kinda rich”
Cleary has also recently shared images from their time together holidaying in north Queensland and the Whitsundays
‘Mary is the next-gen in global football icons,’ White told News Corp.
‘What makes Mary so marketable is not only how amazing an athlete she is on the field, but also her personal attributes; the authenticity she has, how she shows up through her social media, the engagement she has with audiences and how she handles herself in the media.
‘Above all the fanfare and stardom that has come her way, Mary is still as humble and grounded as they come.
‘She is purposeful, considered in her thoughts and she is always her authentic self. If brands can see consumers resonating with that, they know it will help move the needle.’
Fowler, born on February 14, 2003, in Cairns in far north Queensland, began her professional football career with Adelaide United in the 2019–20 W-League season, scoring on her debut.
On her 17th birthday in February 2020, she signed a three-year contract with French club Montpellier HSC, marking her first overseas move.
In June 2022, Fowler secured a four-year deal with English Women’s Super League club Manchester City, where she has become a key player, recently netting two goals in a League Cup semi-final against Arsenal.
Internationally, Fowler debuted for the Matildas at 15 during the 2018 Tournament of Nations, becoming one of Australia’s youngest-ever players.
Fowler was catapulted into the Matildas team at a very young age and is now a key point of attack for the national side
Fowler enjoys sharing images and videos from her journey with her audience on social media
Her down-to-earth nature and humble approach to life has made Fowler a big hit with fans
She was part of the squad for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and scored a crucial goal against Great Britain in the quarter-finals of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
In the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Fowler stepped up in the absence of captain Sam Kerr, scoring in a 4–0 victory over Canada.
She has been recognised as the PFA’s Young Women’s Footballer of the Year twice, in 2022 and 2024.
Despite a demanding schedule, Fowler emphasises the importance of mental health, recently taking a break due to fatigue.
