- Sam Kerr celebrated his birthday on Tuesday
- Matilda’s classmates created collages on social media
- Kerr, 31, continues to recover from an ACL injury
Matildas superstar Sam Kerr celebrated her 31st birthday on Tuesday and received plenty of well wishes from a number of high-profile teammates.
This comes as the striker continues to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained during a training camp in Morocco with Chelsea in January.
The setback meant Kerr missed the remainder of the Women’s Super League season with the Blues, as well as the Paris Olympics, where the goalscorer was sorely missed by Australian fans.
Tony Gustavsson’s side failed to progress beyond the group stage, with the Swede’s four-year tenure as Matildas head coach ending in disappointing circumstances.
Kerr also recently stated that he will not rush to return to the court amid rumors that he would return to play in October.
“The injury is good,” he said. Optus Sport.
‘I’m not setting a date for my return, I’m just making sure I do well and feel good before I come back.
‘I mean, it’s my second ACL injury, so I know you have to take your time, make sure I’m okay and I’m doing everything I can.
Sam Kerr and Emily van Egmond have gone from W-League rivals as teenagers to key figures for the Matildas.
Vice-captain and left-back Steph Catley also sent her birthday wishes to Kerr on social media.
The same was true of Caitlin Foord, who for many years played alongside Kerr as a Matildas forward.
Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold and Kerr have enjoyed significant success with the Matildas in recent years.
The Chelsea striker ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament during a training camp in Morocco in early January and has dismissed reports she will return to action in October for the Blues.
“But for me there is no rush, I want to make sure I can play for many more years.”
When her birthday came around, Kerr would no doubt have been delighted to be contacted by several Matildas teammates on social media.
One of them was midfielder Emily van Egmond, who shared a picture of the two as teenagers after a W-League match.
At the time, van Egmond was a member of the Newcastle Jets squad, while Kerr was playing for Perth Glory.
Fellow forward Caitlin Foord, left back Steph Catley and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold have all shared setups alongside Kerr in recent years.
Outside of football, Kerr is accused of allegedly racially harassing a police officer during a drunken night out in London in January 2023.
The Mail exclusively revealed that the 31-year-old was charged and pleaded not guilty on March 4 this year, with a four-day criminal trial scheduled for February next year.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed the incident, which took place on January 30, 2023, was sparked by a dispute over a taxi fare before Kerr allegedly used insulting, threatening or abusive words that caused alarm or distress to the officer.
