But 20-year-old Mary Fowler handles that title and expectation in the same manner she glides her way across the football field - with poise, grace and a quiet confidence.
"I know I'm young, I have thought about the future, but most of my headspace is just on what's happening right now," Fowler told AAP.
"Because I feel like I'm at a point where I can bring a lot to the team right now.
"Rather than being where I was at four years ago, where it was, 'I'm here but I'm not quite ready for it'."
In 2019, Fowler was on track to become a teenage World Cup debutant in France before a hamstring injury ruled her out of that tournament's early stages.
Then, with Australia trailing Norway 1-0 in the closing stages of the round of 16, Fowler was about to earn her first minutes.
Instead, Elise Kellond-Knight scored an Olimpico and Fowler put her substitute bib back on as coach Ante Milicic instead turned to Amy Harrison.
"I'm going to be honest, I don't even remember that," Fowler said with a laugh.
"Just being there and being able to be part of that whole tournament at such a young age, it shows you what's out there.
"It motivated me even more that I didn't play.
"I was, 'Oh I just want to be out there. I want to help the team, I want to be able to play in front of this crowd'. If it goes to penalties, I want to be someone that people look to and are like, 'You take one'."
Two years later, Fowler scored a crucial goal in Australia's memorable Olympic quarter-final win over Great Britain.
"It definitely gave me a big confidence boost, being able to go on the field and play a part in such an important stage of the tournament," she said.
Fowler, who recovered from a fractured back to make the squad, appears a player built for the big stage.
Two years ago, star striker Kerr told AAP the then-teenager was the Matildas' "best finisher on both feet".
Fellow forward Caitlin Foord says Fowler "can change the game".
On Friday night, after teeing up Fowler for a beautifully timed winner against France, teammate Hayley Raso noted, "When you find Mary in the box, you know she'll score".
While the skills are not in doubt, it's Fowler's maturity that really stands out.
"She's so strong, and so smart and technical," fellow Matilda Steph Catley told AAP.
"She's a player that we were really crying out for and she just arrived at the right time."
Thursday's Women's World Cup opener against Ireland at Stadium Australia will turn a fresh spotlight on Fowler.
The attacker was eligible to play for Ireland, where her father Kevin hails from, but ultimately committed to the Matildas.
When asked if a switch was ever on the cards, Fowler said, "Not in a serious way.
"If you have dual citizenship you just think about it because you're like, 'What if?'.
"But it never really got close because I just feel a lot more Australian.
"I was born in Australia, Australia is my home, and just seeing the level of the woman's national team in Australia, I was, 'We can do some great things there'."
If Fowler has anything to say about it, she'll be the one making those great things happen.
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