* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 8 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 28 October 2025
Samantha May Kerr (born 10 September 1993) is an Australian professionalsoccer player who plays as astriker forWomen's Super League clubChelsea, and theAustralia women's national team, which she has captained since 2019. Known for her speed, skill, and tenacity,[3] Kerr is widely considered one of the best strikers in the world,[4][5][6][7] and one of Australia's greatest athletes.[8][9][10]
Kerr started her career at the age of 15 withPerth Glory where she played from 2008 to 2012, before moving toSydney FC. In 2013, she joined theWestern New York Flash for the inaugural season of the NWSL and helped lead the team to win theNWSL Shield. She later played forSky Blue FC and theChicago Red Stars in the same league.[13] In 2019, Kerr indicated her interest to play in Europe, and having fielded multiple offers from clubs such asOlympique Lyonnais,[14] Kerr ultimately signed withChelsea, so far winning 8 trophies with the club, including back-to-back-to-backWomen's Super League titles, as well as helping the team reach theUEFA Women's Champions League final for the first time in 2021.[15]
Kerr earned her first senior internationalcap in 2009 at the age of 15 and has since representedAustralia at the2010,2014,2018, and2022AFC Women's Asian Cup tournaments, the2011,2015,2019, and2023 FIFA Women's World Cups, and the2016 and2020 Summer Olympics. During the2019 World Cup, she became the first Australian player to score ahat-trick at a World Cup tournament.[16] In 2021, she captained the team to their historic first ever semi-final of a major tournament during the delayed2020 Summer Olympics, resulting in their best ever fourth-place finish.[17]
Kerr playedAustralian rules football when she was young. Both her father and older brother,Daniel Kerr, were professional Australian rules footballers.[20][21] She played the sport until switching to association football at the age of 12, mostly due to gender restrictions.[22][23]
Kerr attended Samson Primary School andSomerville Baptist College.[24][25] Despite facing some struggles transitioning from Australian rules football to association football,[26] at age 13, she was spotted by Perth Glory strikerBobby Despotovski who described her athleticism and raw talent as "exceptional".[27] At age 15, she made herW-League and international debuts.[28]
Club career
Western Knights, 2006–2008
Kerr first started playing football as a junior atWestern Knights in Mosman Park. After three years at the Western Knights, she trialled for the Western Australian State Team before moving toPerth Glory.[19]
Perth Glory, 2008–2011
Kerr playing for Perth Glory, 2010
Kerr made her debut forPerth Glory at the age of 15 years and 45 days during the2009 W-League season, becoming the youngest player to feature in the league.[29] She was voted Players' Player at the2009 W-League Awards and awarded Goal of the Year for her long–range goal againstSydney FC in round 8.[30][31] During the2010–11 season, Kerr started in all 10 matches and scored three goals.[13] She scored abrace in the first half of a match againstAdelaide United on 14 January 2011 lifting Perth to a 2–1 victory.[32]
Western New York Flash, 2013–2014
In 2013, Kerr signed with the Western New York Flash. She made 19 starts in her 21 appearances for the club and scored six goals.[13] After defeatingSky Blue FC 2–0 in the semi-finals,[33] the Flash lost 2–0 toPortland in the final.[34]
Kerr returned to the Flash for the2014 season. Head coachAaran Lines said of Kerr, "With her attributes – her speed, athleticism and instincts – if she continues to develop at the rate she is, Sam can become one of the best strikers in the world."[35] Kerr started in all 20 matches and was the team's leading scorer with 9 goals.[13] She was namedNWSL Player of the Week for week 9 after recording a brace and assist against Portland.[36] Following the 2014 season, Kerr was traded toSky Blue FC in exchange forElizabeth Eddy and a first-round pick—fourth overall—in the2015 NWSL College Draft.[37][38] The Flash used that pick to draftSam Mewis.[39]
Return to Perth Glory, 2014–2019
In August 2014, Kerr returned toPerth Glory on a one-year deal as one of six Matildas to sign for Perth.[40] She would open her account in Perth's second match againstAdelaide United to give Perth the lead in the second half which they would win.[41] The following match she scored a double in her team's 10–1 rout ofWestern Sydney Wanderers.[42] After missing out in the next four games, Kerr would go and score eight goals in the final four games of the regular season which included a hat-trick against her former team inSydney FC.[43]
She continued her regular season form in thefollowing season when she scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory overMelbourne Victory in the opening round of the competition.[44] That would be the only goal that she would score in the season with her leg giving way in a non-contact ankle injury which forced her out for the rest of the season.[45] This would not stop Perth from giving her a one-year contract extension before the start of that season.[46] In the2016–17 W-League season she scored ten goals, led the team to theGrand Final, and earned theJulie Dolan Medal and the Penny Tanner Media MVP Award.[47] In October 2018, she became the first marquee player of the W-League when she was reportedly offered $400,000 contract to stay in Perth instead of going overseas where she was offered $100,000 less.[48][49] The marquee signing delivered in the2018–19 W-League season, when she finished top of the goal scoring charts with 17 goals at above a goal a game. This included a hat-trick in the semi-final againstMelbourne Victory which booked Perth's spot into the grand final.[50][51]
During the2016 season, Kerr made nine appearances for Sky Blue after being away with the national team in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympics. She scored five goals during the regular season.[13] Kerr was named NWSL Player of the week for Week 18 after scoring two goals: an 80th-minute equaliser against theOrlando Pride and a game-winning goal against the Pride a few days later.[54]
In the 2017 season, Kerr set a new NWSL record when she scored 4 goals in a single game after being down 3–0 toSeattle Reign at halftime. Sky Blue eventually won the match 5–4. At the age of 23, Kerr sat atop the all-time NWSL goalscoring table.[55] Kerr won theNWSL Golden Boot andMVP award after finishing the 2017 season with a record-breaking 17 goals.[56]
On 18 January 2018, Kerr was traded to theChicago Red Stars along withNikki Stanton by theSky Blue FC in a three-team trade with theChicago Red Stars andHouston Dash.[57] She got off to a slow start in the2018 season, not scoring until the eighth match of the season when she contributed to a 1–1 draw againstNorth Carolina Courage.[58] In August, she was named as NWSL Player of the Month for the third time in her career as she scored five goals throughout the month of August which included two goals againstPortland Thorns FC andOrlando Pride.[59] At the end of the 2018 season, Kerr scored 16 goals and won the Golden Boot for the second consecutive season, leading to her becoming the first player to win the NWSL Golden Boot more than once, and was elected into the NWSL Best XI as a forward.[60][61]
At the end of the2019 season, Kerr and the Chicago Red Stars made their first appearance in theNWSL Championship, losing 4–0 to North Carolina Courage.[62][63] Several days prior to the championship game, Kerr was named the 2019NWSL MVP, the first, and currently only, NWSL player to ever receive the award twice.[64] Kerr also received, for the third year in a row, the NWSLGolden Boot, leading the league with 18 goals and five assists, despite missing some games over the summer to play with Australia in theWorld Cup.[64] Kerr was also named Player of the Year by theNational Women's Soccer League Players Association, who presentedtheir own awards for the first time.[65]
At the end of the 2019 season Kerr announced that she was considering moving to a European team and had multiple offers.[66]
Chelsea, 2020–present
Kerr with Chelsea in February 2020
On 13 November 2019,WSL clubChelsea announced Kerr would be joining the club for the second half of the2019–20 FA WSL season on a two-and-a-half-year contract.[67][68] Kerr made her Chelsea debut againstReading on 5 January 2020[69] and scored her first goal two weeks later againstArsenal.[70] She won her first trophy with Chelsea in their 2–1 win over Arsenal in theLeague Cup Final. Chelsea went on to win the 2019–20 league title despite a curtailed season due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, based on points per match.
At the2020 Women's FA Community Shield on 29 August 2020, Kerr created a series of goal scoring opportunities before being substituted in Chelsea's 2–0 win overManchester City.[71] She scored a hat-trick in the 6–0 win overBristol City in Chelsea's defence of theLeague Cup title, and led goalscoring for Chelsea during the season, ultimately helping her win her secondWomen's Super League title during the2020–21 FA WSL season.[72] She scored 21 goals in 22 games, winning the Golden Boot, making her the first player to win it in three different leagues.[73] That same season, Kerr helped Chelsea reach the final of theUEFA Women's Champions League for the first time, before being defeated byBarcelona.[74]
During the2021–22 WSL season, Kerr continued exhibiting fine form and was nominated for the Barclays Player of the Month for September. On 16 November 2021, Kerr signed a two-year contract extension, keeping her at the club until the end of the 2023–24 season, saying: "I can't see myself going anywhere else in the world or leaving Europe, having what I have at Chelsea."[75] The following week, Kerr scored the winning goal in Chelsea'sChampions League group stage match againstServette, and scored her third league hat-trick, againstBirmingham City, within 26 minutes, as well as providing the assist for team-mateFran Kirby's 100th Chelsea goal, with Kerr celebrating her achievement with her signature back-flip, the first time she performed it at Chelsea's homeground ofKingsmeadow.[76] On 5 December, Kerr scored a brace in the delayedFA Cupfinal against Arsenal, winning Player of the Match, and helping her team lift the trophy and secure the domesticquadruple of the 2020–21 season, the first English women's club to achieve the feat.[77] Kerr ended the 2021 calendar year as the leading goalscorer in the WSL, with 23 goals, and was second in total assists with 10, behind Kirby.
Upon returning to Chelsea after being eliminated in theAsian Cup at the beginning of 2022, Kerr continued with a fine run of goal-scoring, scoring 10 goals in 7 consecutive matches, the first Chelsea player to do so. She scored the lone Chelsea goal in a 3–1 defeat at the hands of Manchester City in the League Cup final and in Chelsea's 0–9 record-breaking win againstLeicester City in the WSL on 27 March, Kerr scored a brace, repeating the feat the following week in a match againstReading, the 5th consecutive WSL match she had scored in.[78] On 24 April, in a league game againstTottenham Hotspur, Kerr scored in her 6th consecutive WSL match, and in doing so, broke her own record set the previous season of scoring against the most opposing teams, by scoring against all opponents barArsenal.[79] In April 2022, Kerr was awarded theFWA Women's Footballer of the Year, receiving 40% of the vote ahead ofVivianne Miedema andLauren Hemp, and won the FA WSL April Player of the Month.[80] Kerr ended the season with 32 goals (including 3 goals of the 2020–21 FA Cup held over the course of the 2021–22 season) and 9 assists across all competitions, winning the Women's Super League for the third consecutive time, and theFA Women's Cup for the second consecutive time.[81] After a formidable season in front of goal for the Blues, she was voted Chelsea Women's Player of the Year[82] by Chelsea supporters with over 70 per cent of the vote and was also voted Women's Super League Player of the Season. She also received thePFA Players' Player of the Year,[83] in addition to being named in thePFA WSL Team of the Year for second consecutive year.[84] Kerr finished as top goal scorer, netting 32 times in all competitions. She retained the Golden Boot award for the second consecutive year, having scored 20 times in the 2021–22 season.[85] The striker scored a number of important goals during the season, including a crucial 92nd-minute winner againstAston Villa at Kingsmeadow in March 2022 to keep the Blues' title hopes alive.[86] Kerr also scored twice as Chelsea beat Manchester United on the final day of the season,[87] with her well-taken volley against the Red Devils being voted the Goal of the Season.[88] She also scored the winning goal at Wembley as the Blues secured their second consecutive FA Cup.[89] She scored her firstUEFA Champions league hat-trick againstParis FC on 23 November 2023.[90]
On 7 January 2024, Chelsea confirmed that Kerr had suffered ananterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL injury) during a warm weather training camp inMorocco and would miss the remainder of the season.[91] On 13 June 2024, Kerr signed another two-year contract extension, keeping her at the club until 2026.[92] On 6 December 2024, managerSonia Bompastor announced that Kerr would not return until 2025.[93]
On 13 March 2025, it was announced Kerr was to be included in Chelsea's upcoming Champions league squad, her first time to be included in a squad since her ACL injury, but did not play any minutes.[94] Despite Bompastor's hopes that Kerr would return before the end of the2024–25 season, the forward did not appear.[95] She was training with the team during August 2025 ahead of the2025–26 season opening.[96] She made her return to the field against Aston Villa on 14 September 2025, 20 months after her ACL injury. She came on as a substitute in the 75th minute and then in the 93rd minute, scored her 100th goal for the club.[97][98]
In February 2009, at the age of 15, Kerr made her international debut for Australia'ssenior national team inCanberra as a 76th minute substitute in afriendly againstItaly, which Australia lost 5–1.[99][100] She scored her first international goal at the age of 16 during the2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup final againstNorth Korea, helping Australia draw 1–1 in full-time, which led to Kerr's first international trophy.[101]
In 2011 at age 17, Kerr was named to Australia's2011 FIFA Women's World Cup squad by head coachTom Sermanni as one of seven players who were under twenty years of age.[106][107] She made her World Cup debut coming on as a substitute in the 79th minute of Australia's first group stage match againstBrazil.[108] She was a starter for the team's second group stage match againstEquatorial Guinea helping Australia win 3–2[109] and the team's final group stage match and 2–1 win againstNorway.[110] Australia finished second place in their group and advanced to the knockout stage where they were defeated 3–1 bySweden.[111][112]
After injuring her knee in December 2014 and undergoing surgery,[113] Kerr worked hard with fitness coach Aaron Holt to recover ahead of the2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada.[114] Kerr was the team's starting striker during Australia's first group stage match against theUnited States, which Australia lost 3–1.[115][116] During the team's second group stage match, she helped Australia defeatNigeria 2–0.[117] During the match, Kerr was elbowed in the face byUgo Njoku, which ultimately resulted in a three-game suspension for Njoku.[118] Kerr recovered and started during Australia's final group stage match againstSweden, a 1–1 draw.[119] Australia's finished second in their group and advanced to the round of 16 where Kerr played in the team that defeatedBrazil 1–0.[120] She also started the quarterfinal match in the first time Australia reached this stage, but they were defeated by2011 championsJapan 1–0.[121]
2016–2018
In July 2017, Kerr was the top goalscorer at theinaugural Tournament of Nations in the United States.[122] She scored ahat-trick in Australia's 4–2 victory overJapan,[123] and also scored a goal againstBrazil, leading Australia to win the tournament.[124] Prior to this tournament, Kerr had scored eight goals in her first 49 games for the national team. Her hat-trick against Japan was the beginning of a run of 11 goals in six games. Kerr was named 2017AFC Women's Footballer of the Year.[125]
In February 2019, Kerr was named captain of the Matildas by newly appointed head coachAnte Milicic.[126] Two months later, she was one of five nominees for theBBC Women's Footballer of the Year award.[127] During the team's first group stage match at the2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France, she opened up an early lead againstItaly after scoring a goal off a penalty kick rebound, though Australia ultimately lost 2–1 in stoppage time. Kerr's goal was her first at a World Cup tournament and she celebrated by punching the corner flag to honourTim Cahill, the all-time leading goalscorer for theSocceroos.[128][129] During the team's second group stage match againstBrazil, though Kerr was in an offside position whenMonica Hickmann Alves headed the ball into her own goal, thevideo assistant referee (VAR) deemed that Kerr was not interfering and the goal was counted for Australia. Australia won 3–2.[130] Kerr scored four goals in the team's 4–1 win againstJamaica and was named Player of the Match.[131] She is the first Australian player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup tournament[132] and the tenth player to score four goals.[133] Australia finished second in their group and advanced to the knockout stage where they were defeated by Norway in a penalty shoot-out.[134] Kerr's five goals at the tournament ranked fourth highest behind Ellen White of England and Americans Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, who all scored six.[135]
2020 Olympic Games, Tokyo
At2020 Tokyo Olympics held in 2021, Australia was grouped withUnited States,Sweden andNew Zealand. Kerr scored in the opening game, in which they beat New Zealand 2–1.[136] In the second game against Sweden, Kerr scored a brace but missed a penalty and ended up losing 4–2.[137] Progressing to the quarter-finals againstGreat Britain, Kerr scored an 89th-minute equaliser to see the game into extra time, before getting a brace to help Australia secure a 4–3 victory and progress to the semi-finals against Sweden. During this match, Kerr scored a goal that was controversially disallowed, and Australia ultimately lost 1–0. In the bronze medal match against the United States, she scored a goal in a 4–3 defeat, to become the all-time top scorer for the Matildas, surpassingLisa De Vanna, with 48 goals.[138]
Post Olympics
On 21 September, in their first match after their Olympics defeat, and in Australia's first ever match against theRepublic of Ireland, Kerr won her 100th cap, the 10thMatilda in history to do so.[139] She returned with Australia to play two friendly matches againstBrazil on home soil in October, the first time doing so since before theCOVID-19 pandemic, and scored her 49th international goal in the second match.[140]
2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup, India
At the2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup, Kerr scored 5 goals in Australia's opening match of the group stage againstIndonesia, and in the process, equalled and surpassed the Australian international goal-scoring record, among both male and female Australian internationals, previously set byTim Cahill (50 international goals).[11] She was also able to achieve the feat within fewer matches, needing 105 matches to equal the 50 goals set by Cahill, who set the record within 108 international appearances.[141] Despite being eliminated in the quarter-finals bySouth Korea with a goal from herChelsea compatriotJi So-yun, she won the Golden Boot, scoring 7 goals in only 4 matches.[142]
2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Australia and New Zealand
On 3 July, it was announced that Kerr would captain the Matildas'2023 FIFA Women's World Cup squad in her fourth World Cup appearance, this time on home soil.[143] Kerr missed the opening match againstIreland as a result of a calf injury. The team announced that she would miss the first two pool matches, but subsequently there was speculation that she would miss all of them and possibly the whole tournament. Rumours emerged that the team deliberately understated the severity of the injury.[144][145][146] She ultimately missed all three group games but could have taken the pitch againstCanada if they needed her. With a comfortable 4–0 win, there was no need for her to play.[147]
Kerr made her first appearance in the 2023 World Cup in the 80th minute of the Matildas' win in the round of 16 clash withDenmark.[148] She was again used as a substitute in the Australia's historic quarter-final victory overFrance, scoring a goal in the concluding penalty shootout. The team reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time, facingEngland.[149] Down a goal after the first half, Kerr equalized for Australia with her first goal of the tournament, but two subsequent English goals resulted in a 3–1 loss, thwarting the Matildas' hopes of reaching the final.[150] Kerr's goal was widely praised as one of the best of the tournament thus far, and was later nominated for theFIFA Puskás Award for 2023.[151][152][153] Due to her ACL injury in January 2024 the footballer was unable to participate in2024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament's third round in February.[154] She was still recovering when the Matildas 18-playerOlympic squad for theParis games was named in June.[154] After an absence of almost two years, the striker returned to the Matildas on 25 October 2025 for a friendly match againstWales inCardiff.[155]
In popular media
In 2013, Kerr was featured in an hour-long episode ofESPN'sAussies Abroad entitled,The Matildas, which profiled four Australian national team players (Kerr,Lisa De Vanna,Kyah Simon, andCaitlin Foord) and their experience playing internationally.[156][157] She was featured along with her national teammates in theEA Sports'FIFA video game series starting inFIFA 16, the first time women players were included in the game.[158]
In July 2022, it was announced that Kerr would feature on the cover of the Ultimate edition ofFIFA 23 alongsideKylian Mbappé, making it the first time a female player would appear on the global cover of the game franchise.[167] (Alex Morgan andChristine Sinclair had previously appeared on the cover of the US and Canada versions ofFIFA 16, respectively.)[168] New artwork featuring Kerr on the cover ofFIFA 23 is also scheduled for the2023 Women's World Cup.[169] Kerr was rated as the world's best women's footballer in the 2023 Women's World Cup update forFIFA 23, alongside Spain'sAlexia Putellas.[170]
InTwickenham on 30 January 2023, Kerr was detained overnight after vomiting out of a taxi window and disputing the driver's clean up fee.[176][177][178][179] On 21 January 2024, she was charged with racially aggravated harassment against a police officer following the incident.[180][181] Kerr pleaded not guilty, and was cleared of the charge in February 2025.[182][183] Leading human rights lawyerGeoffrey Robertson commented that the case should never have gone to trial.[184]
The Sam Kerr Football Centre inQueens Park, Western Australia
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Sam Kerr: Birthplace of Dreamsretrieved 12 November 2019
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