Matildas captain Sam Kerr skips Wembley for Melbourne but future at Chelsea

Matildas captain Sam Kerr has been assured of her continued future at Chelsea even as she continues her lengthy rehabilitation from a serious knee injury by working with Football Australia’s medical staff.

Kerr hasn’t played for club or country for 16 months, since tearing her anterior cruciate ligament at a training camp with Chelsea in January 2024.

She was a shock sighting at Sunday’s A-League Women grand final at AAMI Park in Melbourne, sitting alongside the Matildas’ chief physiotherapist.

It was the same day her Chelsea teammates were in a Women’s FA Cup final against Manchester United in London.

Chelsea won 3-0 to complete a domestic treble achieved without their Australia star playing a minute.

But afterwards coach Sonia Bompastor dismissed suggestions it might be time for the club and Kerr - who recently endured a difficult court case in London and earlier this month became a mother - to part ways.

“I was really sad not to have the opportunity to have Sam with us in the squad this season,” said the Frenchwoman, who took over as coach just under a year ago.

“I think she is a great player and we, the player and the club, need to find a way to have her back. She will feel like a new signing for me.

“When we talk about going to these games at the end of the season and to fight for trophies, when you have Sam available or not available it can make a big difference as Sam is a scorer.

“She was not here [at Wembley] physically, but she was with us mentally.”

Kerr, whose American partner Kristie Mewis stayed in London with baby Jagger, sat with Matildas chief physiotherapist Matt Whalan, who is an ACL specialist, in a corporate seating area at AAMI Park on Sunday.

Kerr returned to individual training in January and her recovery has now gone well beyond the usual length of time for an ACL tear.

Most of Kerr’s rehabilitation has happened under the watch of Chelsea, rather than the Matildas’ staff or Football Australia (FA).

But she came into Matildas camp in March and April, with Chelsea’s blessing, to work on her rehabilitation.

Interim coach Tom Sermanni last week detailed how FA staff had worked with Chelsea on Kerr’s bid to return to play,

“We are constantly in communication and we have a physio in London and he’s doing a significant amount of work, in conjunction with Chelsea, with Sam,” Sermanni said.

“So we are regularly updated and keeping in touch.”

The 31-year-old has scored 99 goals in 128 matches since making her Chelsea debut in January 2020, and was involved in this week’s photo shoot for the club’s 2025/26 kit.

FA has been contacted for comment.