SAM Kerr is captain of the Australian Women’s Football team and is playing her fourth world cup in 2023.
She’s had some ups and downs in her career. Here’s what we know about her career.
Who is Sam Kerr?
Sam was born in East Fremantale, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia.
Her parents are Roxanne and Roger Kerr.
Sam comes from a sporty family with her father being a professional Australian rules football player.
As of August 2023, she is in a relationship with her girlfriend, American soccer player Kristie Mews.
Sam played Australian rules football when she was a child, but switched to association football when she was 12, mostly due to gender restrictions.
Sam faced some struggles during the transition but was spotted by Perth Glory striker Bobby Despotovski.
He described her athleticism and raw talent as “exceptional”.
In 2009, at the age of 15, Sam debuted with the Matildas as a substitute in a match against Italy.
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A year later she played in her first major tournament, the Asian Cup, in China.
She helped the team secure their first-ever title by scoring the opening goal in the team’s victory against North Korea during the final.
She played in her first Women’s World Cup in 2011 at the age of 17.
Despite a series of injuries, Sam was picked for all five matches the Matildas played at the 2015 World Cup.
She also represented her nation at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Sam helped the team advance to the quarterfinals before they were eliminated by Brazil.
In 2018, Sam was also a driving force for the team during their run to the Asian Cup final but they lost the title match to Japan.
Sam was chosen as Australia’s captain ahead of the Women’s World Cup in 2019.
During the tournament she scored her first World Cup goal claiming four in total in a victory against Jamaica.
She was one goal short of the Women’s World Cup individual single-game scoring record which is shared by Michelle Akers and Alex Morgan.
The team then progressed into the round of 16 but were eliminated by Norway during penalty kicks.
Sam, however, maintained her scoring streak by securing six of the 11 goals scored by the Australian team at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Australia were later eliminated by the United States in the bronze medal match.
Sam was selected for the 2023 World Cup in her home nation, despite recovering from a calf injury she sustained earlier in 2023.
In the quarter finals she played for 65 minutes against France, and scored in the penalty shoot-out, sending the Aussie team into the semi-finals against England.
The forward holds the all-time record for the most goals scored for the Matildas – 63.
What is Sam Kerr’s salary?
It’s reported Sam earns a hefty £417,000 annually.
Sam is reportedly the highest paid player in women’s football.
She is also considered to be one of the best strikers in the world and in 2022 was named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
However, Cristiano Ronaldo, the highest paid male footballer earns £173 million per year, over £172 million more than Sam.
Who has Sam Kerr played for?
Sam made her debut for Chelsea FC on January 5 2020 against Reading.
She started her career at Perth Glory in 2008, leaving in 2011.
She returned for the 2014/2015 season after playing for Sydney FC and Western New York Flash.
Sam then joined Sky Blue FC and Chicago Red Stars before her move to the west London club.
She won the League Cup and Women’s Super League title in her first and second season at Stamford Bridge, and helped Chelsea make it to the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, although they lost to Barcelona.
In the 2020/2021 season, she scored 21 goals in 22 games, claiming the Golden Boot.
She is first player to win this accolade in three different leagues.
With her help, the Blues secured three consecutive FA Cup wins from 2021-2023, and two more Super League titles in 2022 and 2023.
Is Sam Kerr on Instagram?
Sam is on Instagram and can be found at @samanthakerr20.
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As of August 2023 she boasts 1.4 million followers.
She regularly posts photos of her life and football.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
