Sam Kerr has made her return to the Australia squad for their upcoming friendlies with England and Wales.
It will be an emotional return for the Chelsea star who has not featured for the Matildas since she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a mid-season training session in Morocco in January 2024.
She missed nearly two full seasons – the second-half of 2023-24 and the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign.
Last month, she marked her return to football with a milestone by scoring her 100th goal for Chelsea against Aston Villa.
It has been a steady return to action for Kerr who has made five appearances this season, all of which have been off the bench.
In her five appearances, she has played no longer than 21 minutes. Aggie Beever-Jones has been Chelsea’s main striker over the last two years and recently won the Player of the Month award after scoring in four consecutive games.
When did Sam Kerr last play for Australia?
Sam Kerr last played for Australia on November 1st, 2023, scoring in a 3-0 AFC Women’s Olympic qualifying match against Chinese Taipei.
It was her 69th goal in 128 appearances for the Matildas. Australia qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Kerr hoped to play a big part after she saw limited game time at the 2023 World Cup due to a calf injury.
However, just two months later she was injured during a Chelsea training session, which has meant she has not featured for Australia in nearly two year.
Should Kerr play against Wales on October 25th, it will be her first appearance in an Australia shirt in 724 days.
Australia then play England three days later at the Pride Park Stadium in Derby.
đź”™ Sam Kerr will return to the national team for the first time since November 2023, following an ACL injury sustained in January 2024.
🗣️ Australia coach: “Joe Montemurro: “Having Sam back in the squad is a special moment – not just for the team, but for Australian football.… https://t.co/6qBcTbhntF
— Chelsea Women (@CFC__Women) October 10, 2025
What Australia head coach Joe Montemurro said about Kerr’s return
Confirming Sam Kerr’s return, Matildas head coach Joe Montemurro said: “Having Sam back in the squad is a special moment – not just for the team, but for Australian football.
“Her leadership and presence are invaluable as we continue building toward the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 and beyond.”
Montemurro is likely to take a similar approach to Kerr’s return as Chelsea’s Sonia Bompastor has taken.
He is likely to gradually introduce her in friendlies and could make short cameos against Wales and England.
Australia did not mention whether Kerr will retain the captaincy, a role which Steph Catley took over in her absence.
What has happened since Kerr last played for Australia?
During her absence from football, Kerr welcomed a baby boy with fiancee Kristie Mewis.
Kerr and Mewis welcomed their son, Jagger Mewis-Kerr, on May 8th.
Meanwhile, she returned to full training with Chelsea in August, before her return to action a month later.
This will be her first Australian camp with Montemurro, who was appointed as head coach back in June.
Tony Gustavsson, who was the head coach when Kerr last played for Australia, left in the summer of 2024 after the Matildas were knocked out in the group stage of the Paris Olympics.
