Matildas star Sam Kerr received a big welcome back home to Australia as she returned to train with the Matildas for the first time since 2023.
And on Wednesday, the Chelsea star had appeared to take the morning off to do a bit of shopping and spend some time in Sydney with her family.
The footy star stopped off at Bills for a spot of breakfast, before she and her relatives stepped out to do some shopping.Kerr was seen wearing a pair of shorts, white trainers and a black T-shirt that had the phrase: ‘Everyone watches women’s sports,’ printed on its front.
The phrase hits back at people who have attempted to dismiss the popularity and importance of women’s sports.
The T-shirt is designed by the brand Togethxr, a commerce company that strives to help promote equal rights for women, ensure diversity and generate areas where women can compete and play sports.Togethxr has also recently teamed up with Nike, who are collaborating with the brand on their ‘Everyone Watches Women’s Sports’ merchandising range.
In February, former Triple M host Marty Sheargold left the radio station after he made unsavoury comments about Australia’s women’s football side.
Sheargold said, live on air, that the Matildas players reminded him of ‘year 10 girls’. He also said he ‘would rather hammer a nail through the head of his penis’ than watch the team in next year’s Asian Cup.
The comments were labelled misogynistic and disrespectful. Sheargold was subsequently dropped by the broadcaster.
Kerr, meanwhile, has been out of action for over a year after rupturing her ACL in January, during a training camp.
She has returned to Australia to link up with the Matildas ahead of their upcoming friendlies against South Korea, but she will not feature in either match.
Kerr, who has scored 69 goals across 128 appearances for Australia, has been included in the Matildas squad in a non-playing capacity. Her return date is still to be confirmed.The Matildas are due to play friendlies against South Korea on Friday and again on Monday in Sydney and Newcastle.
Kerr is also likely set to continue on in her role as captain after Football Australia announced in recent days that they would be taking further action after Kerr was found not guilty on one charge of the racially aggravated harassment of a British police officer following a night out in London.
Following Kerr’s high-profile court case, questions had been asked over whether the 31-year-old would retain the captain’s armband. The Chelsea striker had received the backing of multiple Australia team-mates, including Emily van Egmond.
In a statement, Football Australia boss Anter Isaac stated: ‘Knowing how Sam feels about the events, along with the additional context we’ve learned, has added vital perspective that the general public may not be aware of.
‘Setting aside those difficulties, this one incident should not offset the incredible contributions she has made, both publicly and privately, on and off the field for more than 15 years.’
Following the court case, Kerr apologised for her actions, adding that she was ‘committed to learning from this experience.’
‘I want to express my sincere regret for how events unfolded,’ Kerr said.
‘It was an incredibly difficult period for me, my family, my club, my teammates, and especially for the fans whose support means so much to us. ‘I recognise that leadership means being mindful of our actions both on and off the pitch. I’m proud of the Matildas, the role I have played as a member of that team, and everything we stand for, and I’m committed to learning from this experience.
‘Moving forward, I’m focused on doing my part to ensure we grow even stronger together, and I look forward to having the opportunity of rejoining the team once I’m fit and ready.’
Mary Fowler is another Women’s Super League star who has returned back to Australia for this week’s fixtures.
Fowler was pictured out for lunch in Double Bay this week with her sister.
The 22-year-old has scored six goals for Manchester City in the Women’s Super League and returned seven assists across 17 appearances.
Despite that, Fowler has been experienceing a goal drought in recent months, with the footy star having not scored in any of her last 10 league appearances for City.
