Detail in Sam Kerr injury nightmare is breaking hearts

Two of Matildas captain Sam Kerr’s closest relationships appear to have come to a sudden end following her devastating news.

Sam Kerr of Chelsea celebrates. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Sam Kerr has played under Chelsea manager Emma Hayes for the final time.

The Matildas captain rocked the football world on Monday morning when it was announced she suffered an injury to her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (in her knee) during her team’s training camp in Morocco and is expected to spend an extended period on the sideline.

The club and the Matildas are yet to announce the severity of the ligament tear, but it appears likely her 2023-24 season and 2024 Paris Olympics campaigns are over.

It means two of Kerr’s closest footballing relationships — with Hayes and Matildas manager Tony Gustavsson — may be over already.

Hayes is leaving Chelsea at the end of the season to take up the job as coach of the United States’ Women’s National Team (USWNT).

Kerr’s contract with the Women’s Super League club also expires at the end of the 2023-24 season.

Gustavsson, meanwhile, is widely-tipped to be moving on from the Matildas following the 2024 Olympics, when his contract expires.

Gustavsson has interviewed and actively chased different jobs with rival nations.

Sam Kerr pictured at Stamford Bridge after signing for Chelsea with coach Emma Hayes.

Sam Kerr has been a force at Chelsea. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.

He was reportedly one of the top contenders for the USWNT position before Hayes was selected.

He has also been strongly linked with the Swedish national men’s team and it emerged last week the Swedish Football Association has even made contact with Football Australia about Gustavsson getting an early release to break his contract with the Matildas.

The thought that Kerr may never get to play for either of her mentors again is breaking hearts.

Sam Kerr will never play under Emma Hayes again 💔💔

— hannah (@cfcwhannah) January 7, 2024

So much is devastating about this but it’s really sad that we’ve seen Sam Kerr play under Emma Hayes for the last time. https://t.co/J4ur12R2WU

— Becky Taylor-Gill (@beckytaylorgill) January 7, 2024

I think the injury even increases it at this point, well I hope it does. Losing Hayes and Kerr in one summer is as close as you can get to ripping up the side and starting again like they’ve already done with Tuchel + CL winning squad. + being on 99 goals is so unlucky

— CFCDaily (@CFCDaily) January 7, 2024

Was really hoping they could win the Champions League in Hayes’ last year 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃 https://t.co/jw4EthjEV9

— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) January 7, 2024

Kerr and Hayes have both spoken publicly about how close their relationship has been since Kerr joined the team in 2020.

Hayes, who joined Chelsea in 2012, has won 14 major trophies with the club, including six WSL titles.

Kerr has been a key figure in the silverware she has won in the past three years.

Hayes said in 2021 Kerr is “a wonderful athlete and wonderful human”.

Kerr has said repeatedly she has a close relationship with her Chelsea manager.

“When I was just meeting her over the phone it was a little bit more serious,” Kerr said in 2022.

“She was trying to impress me and I was trying to impress her so it was a more serious relationship,’ Kerr says.

Australia's coach Tony Gustavsson hugs Sam Kerr. Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP.

“Once I visited Chelsea and got to actually meet her I think it relaxed a little bit and now we have such a good relationship. We take the piss out of each other all the time.

“She’s just really forward with me. I’m not someone that likes to beat around the bush. She just tells me how it is and I tell her how it is and I think that we just have this mutual respect for each other.

“When you have such high respect for someone, working towards the same goals, it just works.”

Gustavsson has also spoken with admiration about Kerr — highlighting her impact as a leader for the Matildas, despite missing most of the team’s World Cup run on home soil.

“I want to credit Sam here because just think about it yourself. This has been a dream of hers for so long,” he said after Kerr returned from the calf injury she suffered on the eve of the tournament.

“Then the day before the opening game of the World Cup, you get an injury and you don’t know if you’re going to play at all. It could be so devastating that you can bring the whole team down because you can’t handle your own emotions.

Sam Kerr is out for an extended period after an injury setback.

“But what Sam did in that moment to be the best teammate that I’ve ever seen is just this everything about Sam as a person and as a leader for this team. The energy she gave, the belief she gave, the support she gave and at the same time going through her toughest moment in her career, possibly.”

Meanwhile, a host of Matildas teammates have relayed their devastation about Kerr’s injury.

Kerr’s teammates took to social media to offer their skipper their support with Steph Catley declaring she had “no words” while Caitlin Foord was “gutted”.

No words 💔 Here with you every single step @samkerr1 ❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/t8vQuLdaQl

— Steph Catley (@stephcatley) January 7, 2024

Absolutely gutted for you my friend 💔 we’ve got you ❤️‍🩹 https://t.co/Xa9NStNVN2

— Caitlin Foord (@CaitlinFoord) January 7, 2024

The Matildas face two must-win Olympic Qualifiers against Uzbekistan in February 2024 to secure passage to the Games in July, with a likely recovery time of 12 months set to rule Kerr out should the Aussies get there.

Gustavsson labelled the injury an “incredible loss” for the Matildas.

“Considering how hard Sam has worked over the past six months to return to play, this news is a devastating blow for everyone,” Gustavsson said.

“With her ability to lead by example, Sam’s guidance and influence on the team is significant and, as a result, this will be an incredible loss for the national team.

Chelsea Football Club can confirm striker Sam Kerr has sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during our warm weather training camp in Morocco.

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) January 7, 2024

“Our focus now is on ensuring she has all the support she wants and needs to navigate recovery and rehab,” Gustavsson concluded.

Kerr’s recovery and rehabilitation will be overseen by Chelsea’s medical staff with no current time frame for her return to football.

It’s the second time Kerr has injured her ACL, having first suffered the injury in 2011.

Kerr is the latest women’s star to suffer an ACL injury and global players union FIFPRO said an increased workload, travel and insufficient rest have contributed to an increase in injuries among women’s professional players.

In December, European football governing body UEFA introduced a women’s health expert panel to seek a deeper understanding of ACL injuries and their occurrence in the women’s game.

Originally published as Detail in Sam Kerr injury nightmare is breaking hearts