There is a common theme when people talk about Sam Kerr and that is to describe her as the best. Her Chelsea team-mates are no different in their praise of the striker.
The 30-year-old forward has signed a new two-year deal at the club, keeping her in London until 2026. It extends what has been a trophy-laden period at the club where Kerr has collected 11 winners' medals - five consecutive Women’s Super League titles, three FA Cups, two League Cups and a Community Shield – scoring 99 goals in the process.
Kerr has enjoyed plenty of success alongside her Blues team-mates, who have so often spoken highly of playing with the Australian international.
From former manager Emma Hayes to captain Millie Bright, we have picked out some of the best quotes from those who know Kerr the most.
Hayes describing Kerr as ‘the best’ was not a one-time occurrence. The former Blues boss knew from day one that our forward was one of the leading strikers on the planet and she had no hesitation in making that known. But it was after a game where Chelsea were not at our best when she highlighted what she loves most about Kerr.
A Kerr goal saw us reach the Wembley showpiece yet again as we beat Aston Villa 1-0 in a FA Cup semi-final back in April 2023. It had been a match Hayes described as ‘ugly’ with Chelsea having to fight for the win. And after netting the winner, praise was heaped on Kerr for stepping up when it matters the most. An efficient striker, Hayes said, is better than having one who needs a million chances.
Simply put, Hayes summed up Kerr’s match-winning display by saying: ‘I don’t know a striker in world football who can do what she does. She’s the best.’
Kerr’s header in that game came from connecting with a Guro Reiten cross, a clinical combination we have seen so many times in recent seasons. The Norwegian international has been happy to play provider for the striker she holds in the highest of regards.
‘Sam tells me every day – ‘between my hair line and my eyebrows, that’s where I want it’,’ Reiten said. ‘Sam’s the best striker in the world and I don’t think there’s any doubt about it. If Sam’s not scoring goals, I’m not looking at her, I’m looking at me – what am I not doing right?’
Winger Johanna Rytting Kaneryd echoed Reiten’s sentiment, saying there is no one better to feed the ball to. Head or boot, the Swede says, Kerr will be there to find the back of the net.
‘For me, it is so easy to play with her,’ said Rytting Kaneryd. ‘She’s unreal in the box. Even though it does matter how you cross the ball, it feels like she is always there.
‘She has unbelievable timing and ability to score however – on her boot and on her head. She is a top player.’
Not only do Kerr’s team-mates believe she is the best, they believe she helps push them to the next level. Niamh Charles, to name only one, says she is a better player for sharing the pitch with the striker.
‘It’s a fun challenge because she’s always at it,’ explained Charles. ‘You know that you’re pushing and you’re going to improve playing with her. She’s incredible.
‘What she does, she’s the best in the world at. It’s definitely a challenge, but it also makes you feel comfortable because if you’re training against her every day, you know you can’t get much better than that.’
And it is not only when they play alongside Kerr that her team-mates are left impressed – it is also when they line-up against her while on international duty.
After England beat the Matildas in the semi-final of the 2023 World Cup, skipper Bright spoke of her adoration for Kerr.
Although Kerr and Australia may have lost that game, our striker still gained the plaudits afterwards due to her stunning solo goal which would go on to be nominated for the prestigious Puskas Award.
‘I’ve been after this [Kerr Australia] shirt for a long time,’ Bright said. ‘She is an incredible player and world class.
‘She gets one moment and it’s in the back of the net. In football, we always have huge amounts of respect for our opponents and some of our opponents are more than that, they are friends as well.’
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