Sam Kerr Dominates At All Ranks In The Soccer Sphere
An EA Sports release of “FIFA 21” rankings notched Samantha Kerr at a score of 92, second only behind Megan Rapinoe who received a 93–the same score assigned to Lionel Messi. It’s safe to say that in reality, Kerr has earned these stripes that EA Sports has graciously tagged onto her virtual equivalent, something the Chelsea FC Women will be grateful for in years to come.
At age 15, while most of us navigated high school hallways, Sam Kerr was making her debut for the Perth Glory FC, and just two years later, took the field for Australia in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She spent these early years establishing herself as a goal scorer and an asset to any team she represented.
In 2015, she expanded her reach, playing for both Perth Glory in the W-League and the Sky Blue FC of the NWSL, eventually being traded to the Chicago Red Stars. Despite her commitment to a number of different squads, her dominance never wavered.
She holds the record for most goals in both the NWSL and W-League with 69 and 70 respectively. A feat that has not gone unnoticed, as in 2019, she was named the Best Player in the NWSL at the ESPY Awards and was a finalist for the Best Women’s Player at the 2019 FIFA Football Awards. These skim the surface of the numerous accolades Kerr has collected over the years, including multiple golden boot honors.
After captaining the Australian Women’s National Team through a devastating knockout stage loss in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Kerr was prepared, once again, to expand her breadth of excellence.
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In the first leg of the 2019-2020 Barclay’s Women’s Super League Season, Kerr signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Chelsea FC Women, relinquishing her commitments to both the W-League and the NWSL. “The WSL is the best league in Europe,” Kerr stated via Guardian. “I want team success and I don’t want it to come easy. I feel Chelsea have been building something special over the years and I want to be a part of that – I want to lift some trophies.”
Kerr essentially had her pick of the litter–any team in the Super League would have been lucky to acquire her unmatched first touch and impeccable shot placement. However, Kerr saw a future with Chelsea FC, recognizing that she could be an asset to the strong foundation they had built, and hopefully reel in some hardware.
“Sam has proved time and time again in the NWSL that she is a prolific goalscorer. She’s won the golden boot many times and she’s a player that can make things happen, but she’s also a fantastic team player,” said Chelsea FC Women manager Emma Hayes. “The fact she chose Chelsea when she could have gone to any club in the world is a testament to the players and the staff here because she saw this is the best place for her to grow and take the next step in her career. That’s a wonderful compliment to us all.”
A shortened 2020-2021 season put a damper on Kerr’s statistical prowess, as she appeared in just two games before the global pandemic would bring sports to a halt. However, her future at Chelsea FC looks promising and her presence in the arena has brought major attention to Barclay’s Women’s Super League–be sure to follow her moves when women’s soccer returns to the world stage.
Photo credits: Shutterstock, Instagram
