‘So much more to give’: Kerr wants Matildas captaincy

Anna Harrington | October 24, 2025

Sam Kerr wants to be the Matildas captain going forward and is adamant she still has “so much more to give” as a leader and player.

Kerr will make her long-awaited Matildas return against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday (local time), after getting back on the field with Chelsea last month, and expects to be fit to play up to 70 minutes.

The 32-year-old last played for Australia in November 2023, having endured a horror 20-month rehabilitation from an ACL tear suffered in January 2024.

Kerr also experienced a high-profile court case in London in February, when she was found not guilty on one charge of racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.

During her injury-enforced absence, Steph Catley took the armband.

Coach Joe Montemurro had made it clear a decision on the captaincy would be made closer to Kerr’s playing return, and the striker indicated they were yet to have that discussion, saying the only meetings she’d been in were team meetings.

“I think everyone’s just giving me space to just come back in and enjoy myself and be free, come back in and play football,” Kerr said.

“But on being the captain, of course, I still feel really passionate about that.

“I know I have so much more to give for this team in a leadership role, and this team will make football decisions, and I feel like, football-wise, I’m one of the best leaders in the team.

“So I feel really passionate and proud that I’ve been in that position before, and hopefully continue forward.”

Still building fitness, Australia’s all-time leading goal scorer is adamant she can get back to her dazzling best by March’s Asian Cup.

“That just comes down to self-belief,” Kerr said.

“I know who I am as a player and what I can do, and I’m still playing in one of the best clubs in the world and one of the best national teams in the world.

“So I have all the ability to have the support around me to do it, and I have all the belief in myself.

“But I also have people around me that believe in me, and my teammates believe in me.

“But I’ve got to be patient with myself.”

Kerr expects to be able to play 90 minutes within the next month, and to be comfortably doing so before the Asian Cup, a trophy she is determined to lift a second time.

She had moments of self-doubt throughout her rehab, but always believed she could return.

“There was definitely dark days where I … struggled a little bit in the first nine months with a few setbacks, and there was a few times where I was like, ‘gosh, I don’t know if this will ever go away’,” Kerr said.

“But I’ve always had that burning desire, and I’ve had a lot of good people around me that have pushed me to keep going, specifically my partner. 

“It’s hard to be away from the game, but I’ve always had that burning desire to come back. 

“But there’s definitely been days where I’ve thought, ‘gosh, I might never shake this one’.”

Kerr confirmed her main setback was an issue related to her ACL surgery.

“Pretty much I just had an issue with my graft, but nothing was showing up on the MRI,” she said.

“It was just a mystery. I had pain for 10 months … I was saying I was in pain and everyone was like, ‘but we can’t see anything’, and I was like, ‘but I’m in pain’.

“So then I pretty much had to get surgery on it and it was all fixed.”

Kerr did not discuss her court case in Friday’s media session, but hinted at the ups and downs and life changes she experienced while sidelined.

These included motherhood – welcoming son Jagger with fiancee and fellow professional footballer Kristie Mewis in May.

“Probably the biggest thing that’s changed is having ‘Jags’, just a whole new look on life has been amazing,” Kerr said.

“Time away from the game is always difficult as a player, but I think because it was so long I found the good parts in it too. 

“I got to do things that I normally don’t have time for – been planning a wedding, I’ve built a house.

“I’ve done some amazing things and there’s been some tough times too, but I don’t think it’s changed me as a person.

“I’m a pretty strong person and I’m pretty confident in who I am, so I think I’ve learned a lot, but definitely still the same Sam.”