Australian football star Sam Kerr will make her much awaited international return this Sunday AEDT. She will captain the Matildas in their inaugural game against Wales this Thursday in Cardiff. This will be her first appearance for the senior national team since, ironically enough, November 2023 — against Mexico. This return comes after a difficult 20-month recovery after tearing her ACL at a Chelsea training camp in Jan. 2024.
Kerr, in many people’s eyes the best striker on the planet, is on a road to recovery. She’s just hell-bent on getting back to her previous Christ-of-fishpeak. She recently scored her 100th goal for Chelsea and has been making appearances as a substitute while regaining her form. Her return to the Matildas comes just at the right time. The squad now faces a quick turnaround as they prepare for their biggest test yet against European champions England just four days later in Derby.
Importance of Emotional Connection
Joe Montemurro, the Matildas’ head coach, emphasized the importance of Kerr reconnecting emotionally with the game after her extended absence. He stated that it is vital for Kerr to “come back, love her football, and it’ll take shape according to the way things will go.”
The Matildas as they prepare for the Asian Cup by playing Wales and England in international friendlies. This vital legwork comes as Australia gets set to host the men’s tournament starting in March. That being said, these games will be important litmus tests for the young team. As they gear up for the tournament, they’ll all be looking to sharpen their ideas and execution.
Montemurro is still in the process of discussing the captaincy. He intends to discuss the issue with Kerr and stand-in skipper Steph Catley as the matches draw closer.
“I wanted some really solid teams, obviously, because we want to really solidify, to start to put the little puzzles in place now, in terms of the way we want to play,” – Joe Montemurro
Building Towards Success
As Kerr gets set to make her return, Montemurro is still concentrating on getting a proper look at his squad. He pointed out that, “There’s still this sliver of choice to consider. I do want to focus on a few more players and provide for them a chance. This deliberate evaluation further illustrates Montemurro’s dedication to making certain that the Matildas are in peak condition for his or her future hurdles.
With the upcoming friendlies against Wales and England, Kerr will have an excellent opportunity to prove herself. She’ll dazzle on the world stage again! Given her sterling resume and experience thus far, her addition is likely to pay huge immediate dividends on the performance of the team.
