A potential FIFA Ballon D’Or winner is on our doorstep and South Australians have an opportunity to worship her tonight
Matildas captain Sam Kerr’s presence at Hindmarsh Stadium is one event people shouldn’t miss out on
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Imagine if two FIFA Ballon D’Or nominees over the past two years hit Adelaide for a game of soccer.
Would South Australia have a stadium big enough to host two potential world players of the year because they’re men in this instance?
Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Argentine maestro Lionel Messi on the same ticket would cause global mayhem if Adelaide ever got lucky to host the duo.
However a Ballon D’Or nominee over the past two years is about to hit Adelaide’s Hindmarsh Stadium and she could have been ours for good.
Matildas captain Sam Kerr could now become the first female to grace Hindmarsh Stadium before hopefully winning the FIFA Ballon d’Or accolade as the world player of the year when the announcement is made in Paris on December 2.
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It could also be the last time we see Kerr play here given she could be on her way to play the game she loves for a European club this summer.
However, the Port Adelaide Football Club could perhaps have played a part in securing Matildas superstar Kerr as a South Australian nearly four decades ago.
Kerr’s father Roger played footy for Port, but after a short stint in SA in the 1980s, returned to Western Australia with his wife Roxanne before Sam was born.
Roxanne visits SA frequently for business and of course their son Daniel starred for the West Coast Eagles in the AFL.
However, the 26-year-old’s appearance at Hindmarsh is looming to be an ‘I was there’ moment, given the Matildas will have only played seven times in Adelaide in the past 40 years after their first international in 1979.
She is on show tonight when the Matildas host Chile at a stadium which is about to break a record for a women’s soccer crowd in SA.
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So why is Kerr so special?
Firstly she has that aura - the one that is rare and usually associated with sports people that have an ability which some describe is from another planet.
Off the pitch, she is fun, chilled out, relaxed and is always respectful.
When she steps out onto that pitch she owns the entire 7140 square metres of turf.
It’s her stage.
Kerr is just one outstanding phenomena that has an uncanny natural ability with a ball.
She made her W-League debut at 15 in 2008 and just months later made her debut for the Matildas against Italy.
She has won 21 individual awards including the Asian footballer of the year and is a two-time Julie Dolan Medal winner for being the best in the W-League.
She loves hitting targets.
She has scored 189 goals in 309 matches and averages 0.61 goals per game.
So, the likelihood of Kerr scoring against Chile is high.
This is definitely a clash for the FOMO (fear of missing out) people because Kerr’s appearance at Hindmarsh is looming to be an ‘I was there’ moment.
It will be one to cherish.