Australia striker Sam Kerr has officially been ruled out of the 2024 Paris Olympics as she recovers from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. The 30-year-old sustained the injury during a Chelsea training camp in January, a devastating blow for the Matildas and their fans.
Announcing the squad for Australia’s pre-Olympics friendlies, Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson confirmed that Kerr would not be fit in time for the Games in July. Kerr, arguably Australia’s biggest sporting idol and the nation’s all-time record goalscorer, is the latest high-profile female footballer to suffer an ACL injury, joining the ranks of England captain Leah Williamson and Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema. Typically, it takes professional athletes at least nine months to recover from such an injury.
The Matildas have faced numerous challenges leading up to the Olympics, with several key players sidelined due to injuries. Midfielder Katrina Gorry is recovering from ankle surgery, defender Clare Hunt is dealing with a foot fracture, and stalwart Aivi Luik has a hamstring injury. Additionally, young midfielder Amy Sayer tore her ACL last month and has been ruled out of the Olympics. Before the send-off matches against China, Gustavsson acknowledged the complexity of selecting the final 18-strong squad for Paris, given the fitness battles many players are facing.
Kerr was expected to be an integral part of the Matildas’ medal campaign in Paris, following their near-podium finish at the previous Olympics in Tokyo and their strong performance at the World Cup in Australia last year. Since joining Chelsea in 2020, Kerr has achieved remarkable success, winning five consecutive Women’s Super League titles, three Women’s FA Cups, two Women’s League Cups, and the Women’s Community Shield. She has scored 99 goals for Chelsea and 64 for Australia, earning Ballon d’Or Feminin nominations every year since 2018. However, it has been a challenging 12 months for Kerr, who spent much of the home World Cup on the bench with a calf strain and faced legal issues shortly after her ACL injury.
