Sam Kerr Reveals ‘dark’ Days During Extended Recovery From Knee Injury

A problem pinch nan surgical graft that repaired nan knee of Matildas striker Sam Kerr went undiscovered for 10 months, leaving her successful symptom and suffering “dark” days successful her rehabilitation.

The 32-year-old is group to return for nan Matildas this play successful a friends against Wales, almost 2 years aft her past nationalist squad appearance. She has utilized her first media readiness to state she wants to proceed arsenic captain, but besides said astatine magnitude astir what came to beryllium her aesculapian “mystery”.

Kerr revealed during her betterment she reported symptom to a bid of doctors but they were astatine a nonaccomplishment to explicate it. “I conscionable had an rumor pinch my graft, but thing was showing up connected nan MRI, it was conscionable a mystery,” she said.

“I had symptom for 10 months, and – not that nary 1 believed maine – but I was saying I was successful pain, and everyone was like, ‘we can’t spot anything’. And I was, ‘but I’m successful pain’. So past I had to get room connected it and it was each fixed.”

The emblematic timeline for an ACL wounded is astir a year, but nan striker’s absence saw her miss a play and a half of football, and she said location were “definitely dark” days.

“I struggled a small spot successful nan first 9 months pinch a fewer setbacks and location were a fewer times location wherever I was like, ‘gosh, I don’t cognize if this will ever spell away’,” she said.

“But I’ve ever had that burning desire, and I’ve had a batch of bully group astir maine that person pushed maine to support going, specifically my partner [Kristie Mewis].”

Kerr has accumulated conscionable 7 substitute appearances for Chelsea since her return, and she conceded she is “definitely not 90-minutes fit”. The Matildas’ starring goalscorer said she has “about 70 minutes” successful her astatine nan moment, but that she would hopefully return to afloat fittingness successful nan adjacent period aliases so.

“I’ve travel backmost from my injury, but there’s a year-and-a-half of nary shot down me,” she said. “It’s been rather frustrating, because of people I want to play arsenic overmuch minutes arsenic possible, but there’s been group a batch smarter than maine holding maine backmost a small bit. Fitness wise, I really don’t know.”

The 32-year-old hasn’t played for nan Matildas since November 2023, not agelong aft nan memorable Women’s World Cup successful which she captained nan hosts and scored successful nan semi-final against England.

After nan contention astir nan striker’s London tribunal case, immoderate called for nan striker’s clip pinch nan armband to end. Steph Catley has filled successful arsenic skipper successful Kerr’s absence.

New coach Joe Montemurro plans to reside nan rumor during this camp. Kerr said those conversations hadn’t happened yet, and she wanted to proceed arsenic captain. “I still consciousness really passionate astir that, I cognize I person truthful overmuch much to springiness for this squad successful a activity role,” she said.

“This squad will make shot decisions, and I consciousness like, football-wise, I’m 1 of nan champion leaders successful nan team, truthful I consciousness really passionate and proud that I’ve been successful that position earlier and hopefully proceed forward.”

She has joined nan Matildas successful erstwhile camps, but this week has been nan first clip arsenic a formally selected player. The guardant has noticed a caller strength nether caller coach Joe Montemurro, who was appointed successful June. “The request that he’s put connected nan squad is really precocious from conscionable moreover nan passing patterns. There are demands connected everything that you do,” she said.

The Matildas play Wales early Sunday greeting Australian time, earlier gathering England adjacent week. Two matches against New Zealand astatine nan extremity of November and commencement of December will beryllium nan last opportunity earlier apt Asian Cup warm-up matches successful February.

Kerr said she has appreciated nan emotion from supporters, and is impatient to don nan greenish and golden again. “It’s been really bully to consciousness nan support from Oz and from afar, but it’s been besides rather draining to support proceeding that ‘when are you back’ question, truthful I’m excited to conscionable play and get it complete with.”

Australia’s first lucifer of nan Asian Cup is against nan Philippines successful Perth, Kerr’s hometown, connected 1 March.