Prince William, world blown away by mercurial Sam Kerr

Prince William appeared much more excited than Sam Kerr was during their moment together as the Aussie stunned the world.

Prince Williams shakes the hand of Sam Kerr. Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images.

Prince William was just one of many blown away by Sam Kerr’s brilliance during Chelsea’s FA Cup final victory on Monday morning.

The Aussie star continued her mercurial run of performances in cup finals, scoring her fifth goal in her last three matches at the iconic Wembley Stadium as her team won a third successive Cup trophy with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United.

Kerr’s second-half goal was the difference in a moment that saw the stadium of 77,390 spectators — a world record crowd for a domestic women’s football match — erupt.

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Having scored two braces in Chelsea’s previous Wembley victories in 2021 and 2022, Kerr has cemented her status as one of the best players on the planet.

Debate continues to rumble across social media that Kerr is the best Australian athlete on the international scene right now.

With the Women’s World Cup being held in Australia this year it seems likely Kerr will be Australia’s biggest sporting star by the end of the tournament.

It is hard to argue against it.

Sam Kerr celebrates her goal with a backflip. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.

Sam Kerr is a freak. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.

Kerr was named player of the match just days after being awarded the prestigious Football Writers Association player of the year award.

There were suggestions across social media that Kerr was not deserving of the award — and the 29-year-old admitted the criticism fuelled her performance.

It was a rare moment where Kerr admitted to being impacted by public criticism.

An elated Kerr was beaming when speaking to reporters after the match while holding a can of Fanta.

“I’m very honoured to win that award,” she said.

“Maybe people weren’t as happy about it, but come every big game, I’m here. I think a lot of people still doubt me. No matter how many goals I score, no matter how much I do for the team, no matter how many big games where I score, people always doubt me and that kind of fired me up today.”

Prince Williams shakes the hand of Sam Kerr during the Women's FA Cup Final presentations. Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images.

Sam Kerr wrapped in an Aussie flag. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes described Kerr as “priceless” when speaking after the win.

“I’ve never coached a player like Sam Kerr,” she said.

“She has such conviction, confidence, courage, the way she attacks everything. I love that she’s willing to take responsibility at the top end of the pitch.”

Kerr celebrated her goal with a trademark backflip.

She was celebrating much harder after full time was blown.

The moment Chelsea and Sam Kerr lifted their third-straight Women's FA Cup trophy 🏆🏆🏆

The Matildas captain might've had the best trophy celebration... before being soaked in champagne by the Blues' backroom staff 🤣#OptusSport#WomensFACuppic.twitter.com/guXJljSplJ

— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) May 14, 2023

William appeared to be much more excited to be shaking hands with Kerr than the Aussie was to be meeting royalty.

Kerr was also selected to be the nation’s flag-bearer at the coronation of King Charles III.

Kerr did her best to give her teammates credit.

Manager Hayes was also full of admiration for the supporting cast.

Hayes’s decision to bring on Pernille Harder, who has been injured for much of the season, just before the hour-mark proved a turning point in a match where United had the better of the early exchanges.

“I think it’s the sign of a great team, we didn’t have our best game but we pushed through,” Kerr told the BBC.

Hayes said her team’s experience of big-match occasions at Wembley had served them well.

“We’ve played here more times than Stamford Bridge. Yes it’s home.”

Sam Kerr is a magician. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images.

Hayes added: “We know how to stay in a game and even if we weren’t at our best we have to work out how to change it.”

It took United, in their first women’s FA Cup final, just 20 seconds after kick-off to put the ball into the Chelsea net only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.

Chelsea, the reigning English women’s Super League champions, failed to clear Ella Toone’s cross from the right and Leah Galton swept the ball in.

But the flag had gone up, with VAR confirming Toone had moved a fraction too early.

United, who only established a women’s team in 2018, dominated the first half. They almost broke the deadlock just after the half-hour when Millie Turner’s deflected effort was well saved by Berger.

United went close again when Galton poked the ball over from six yards out from an Alessia Russo cross.

Harder, meanwhile, was instrumental in Chelsea going 1-0 up in the 68th minute when her excellent low cross from out on the right found Kerr, who didn’t have to break stride as she turned the ball in at the back post.

Kerr has now won four trophies from four appearances at Wembley.

— with AFP