Sam Kerr’s injury has come as a devastating blow to not just the Matildas but their fans as well. The soccer captain’s ALC injury from January, means she will not play the Paris Olympics in 2024.
While there were hopes Kerr would recover from the injury, which has already kept her out of qualifiers. Now, Football Australia has confirmed the 30-year-old Captain will not take the field in the Olympics.
“Attacker Amy Sayer (ACL) and forward Sam Kerr (ACL) remain on the sidelines with long-term injuries,” the football association said in a statement.
“Kerr and Sayer will continue their rehabilitation programmes in their home club environments and subsequently will not be available for selection for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” it added.
Meanwhile, Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams told media in Adelaide that the team is behind her in her recovery.
“We want Sam to be as fit and healthy as she can, and for her that’s taking her time with this injury. It’s a major injury,” Williams told media in Adelaide, per ABC News.
“[Sam is] in rehab right now and that’s the most important thing that she focuses on.”
Below, everything you need to know about the Sam Kerr’s injury and what happened to her Olympic dream.
What Type Of Injury Does Sam Kerr Have?
Kerr ruptured her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in her knee. The injury occurred while training at Chelsea Football Club’s mid-season camp in Morocco in January 2024.
This type of injury generally requires surgery and an intensive rehabilitation process, which is most cases, takes up to nine months.
It’s not the first time Kerr has suffered from this type of injury—the captain also ruptured her ACL in 2011. That injury required a knee reconstruction and took her out of the 2012 Olympics in London.
Is Sam Kerr Still In The 2024 Paris Olympics?
It’s extremely unlikely that Kerr will be playing in the 2024 Paris Olympics. In fact, beyond wishful thinking, it’s basically a certainty that she won’t go to Paris.
Her fellow Matilda confirmed to media in May that Kerr would continue to focus on her rehabilitation, and not take the field in Paris.
The type of injury and recovery process means that not only is her season with the English Premier League over but her chances of preparing for the 2024 Olympics are too.
Despite hopes being dashed early, it was previously thought there’d be a small chance that Kerr would be physically able to take a penalty kick at the Olympics, if called upon.
“If she is just doing the penalty shootout, then it’s definitely possible but I don’t know how that would work from a qualification requirement,” sports doctor, Peter Larkin told Code Sports.
What Has Sam Kerr Said About The Injury?
Since new of the injury first broke, Kerr has been quiet about what it could mean for her career. However, the captain did post an Instagram story of her Chelsea team mate, Millie Bright, with the caption “Don’t know what I would have done without my Millie B last few days. Been an absolute nurse queen.”
Bright also posted a picture of Kerr with her Chelsea teammates with the caption, “She’s in good hands.”
She also shared an image from her hospital bed on January 18, saying, “On the road to recovery” before asking for Netflix recommendations.
