By Riley Walter
Matildas star Sam Kerr has announced she is expecting her first child with partner and fellow footballer Kristie Mewis.
Kerr and Mewis, who plays for West Ham United in the Women’s Super League, shared the news of Mewis’ pregnancy with followers in an Instagram post on Monday night.
Sam Kerr has announced she is expecting her first child with partner Kristie Mewis.Credit: samanthakerr20
“Mewis-Kerr baby coming 2025!” the pair wrote in a post.
Kerr, who plays for Chelsea in the WSL, and Mewis, a United States international, met in 2020. They have been together since 2021 and became engaged in September last year.
The pair made headlines in 2021 when they were pictured embracing after the Matildas’ bronze medal match loss to the United States at the Tokyo Olympics.
“A huge congratulations to Kristie and her partner Sam, who have announced they are expecting their first child,” West Ham said on Instagram.
Fellow Matildas stars Mary Fowler and Kyah Simon joined a chorus of congratulations for Kerr, who has been sidelined with an ACL injury since January.
But Chelsea’s congratulatory post received so much homophobic abuse the club was forced to delete it, prompting condemnation of the comments by the club’s LGBT supporter group, Chelsea Pride.
“It’s heartbreaking and infuriating to see social media flooded with hateful comments when we should be celebrating love, pride, and unity,” the group said in a statement.
“Over the weekend and today, our club was forced to shut down comments and even delete posts, posts that should have been shining moments of joy, from the powerful symbolism of Rainbow Laces to the incredible news that Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis will welcome a child in 2025.
“‘No to Hate’” isn’t just a slogan; it’s a battle cry. It’s a reminder that we must keep fighting for what is right, for true acceptance, and for a game that embraces everyone without exception.”
Kerr’s injury kept her out of the Matildas’ Olympics campaign in Paris, where the team struggled and bombed out in the group stage.
In September, she told the BBC’s Women’s Football Weekly podcast that her recovery was taking longer than she’d hoped.
No timeline has been set for Kerr’s return, with the 31-year-old recently expressing her conservative approach to her rehabilitation.
“I mean, it’s my second ACL, so I know you need to take the time, you need to make sure it’s right and I’m doing everything I can,” Kerr told Optus Sport in September.
“But there’s definitely no rush for me, I want to make sure I can play for many more years to come.”
with AAP
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