Sam Kerr has emphasized the need for increased investment in Australian football to enable the Matildas to compete effectively on home soil. The star forward believes that without more financial support and focus on the women's game, the A-Leagues will struggle to attract top talent and maintain competitiveness.

Call for Investment in Women's Football

Kerr's comments come amid speculation about her future at Chelsea, where some Australian fans hoped she might return to Perth to finish her career. However, she recognizes that the current state of the A-League Women makes such a move impractical for a player of her caliber. “We need to find a way to get all the best players back,” Kerr stated, highlighting the existing disparities in contracts and quality within the league. She added, “If it paid enough and it was a top league, a lot of us Matildas would go back, but to better ourselves for the national team, we have to go overseas.”

Comparing Leagues

Kerr reflected on the past success of the A-League, noting that it thrived when national team players and those from leagues like the NWSL in the U.S. participated regularly. She pointed out that the A-League is currently more comparable to the NWSL in terms of its transitional nature and off-field operations. “The A-League probably needs a little bit more investment, a bit more time,” she concluded.

Currently, Kerr and Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold are the only regular Australian players in the U.S., with most of their compatriots opting for clubs in Europe, where the leagues offer better pay and conditions. While Kerr is enjoying her new chapter with Gotham FC in New York, she expressed her desire to win trophies and be closer to her wife, Kristie Mewis’ family. “I’d achieved everything I wanted to with Chelsea. It was time for change,” she remarked.