The Matildas' FIFA Women's World Cup run has come to an end in disappointing fashion, with a 2-0 loss in the third-place playoff against Sweden.

After their 3-1 semifinal loss to England on Wednesday, Australia's side was outrun and outplayed by world number three the world number three, who scored a first-half penalty and again through captain Kosovare Asllani in the second half in Brisbane/Meanjin.

"It's sad that it's come to an end. This has been the best four weeks of our careers," Kerr said of the first Women's World Cup to be staged in the Southern Hemisphere, co-hosted with New Zealand.

"We've never come fourth before. Although it's disappointing [now], we'll think back to this in a couple of weeks and be really proud of how we did."

Frustration and exhaustion were clear in the play of the Matildas, who never really got into the contest.

The opening goal came as so many of Sweden's other chances did, with star striker Stina Blackstenius getting in behind Australia's defence.

She and Matildas centre-back Clare Hunt went crashing to the turf and play was allowed to continue, but a VAR review found Hunt clearly clipped Blackstenius's foot as she tried to make up ground.

Player of the match Fridolina Rolfö angled the ensuing penalty low to her right, with Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold's outstretched hand coming with centimetres of the ball, unable to pull off more penalty heroics.

Katrina Gorry got into a shoving match with Asllani after 45 minutes under the pump, while Caitlin Foord, Hayley Raso, Ellie Carpenter and others looked frazzled at times as the game got away from them.

By the time Blackstenius laid a ball on for her skipper to drill home inside the right post on the hour mark, Australia looked out of gas.

Captain Sam Kerr, who missed the group games with a left calf injury, played 90 minutes for the second straight game but ended the tournament hobbling on both calves after Magdalena Eriksson caught her with a knee in a sliding tackle.

Foord ran out the last 45 minutes of the campaign with her head bandaged up after a huge clash with Asllani, shortly after the Gorry spot fire.

In the end, perhaps for the first time since it started, the team showed the physical and mental toll of carrying the hopes of a nation during their run through their home World Cup.

Playing the final half-hour without threatening to launch a comeback from 2-0 down, some of the players collapsed onto the ground at the final whistle, Kerr slumped onto her haunches and others simply milled around without direction as coach Tony Gustavsson congratulated them all individually without getting much back from his dazed charges.

After Sweden received their bronze medals, something the team has now done four times from nine World Cups, the Matildas went on a lap of honour to applause from thousands and hung around for almost an hour after the final whistle to sign autographs and hand over mementos to fans.