Sam Kerr explains why she still isn’t ‘100 per cent’ after injury as Chelsea’s WSL superstar admits to ‘self doubt’

Chelsea released a statement following confirmation of Kerr's injury in 2024 that read: "Everyone at Chelsea would like to wish Sam the very best for her recovery." The Australian has since struggled to force her way back into Sonia Bompastor's plans having started just one league match, while making an additional 13 appearances of the bench for the Blues.

The usual recovery time for an ACL injury is between nine and 12 months, but Kerr spent an agonising 18 months out of the game before her return to action last September. A problem with a surgical graft that went undiscovered for 10 months meant the Australian's recovery time was longer than expected.

Kerr, though, is back with the Australia squad ahead of their Asian Cup opener against the Philippines in Perth on Sunday as the 32-year-old reflected on her time away from the game.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, the striker said: "It's kind of come in waves. I think at the start when I came back from the ACL with Chelsea at the start of the season I felt really good.

"And then I probably had a little bit of a dip, and then I felt from December onwards, when I started scoring a few more goals and just feeling relaxed and confident in my ability again, I started to really feel at my best.

"But I've had so many amazing people around me, and I feel right at home with the Matildas, so it's a good place for me to just settle back in and be myself."

And when asked how she feels on a scale of 1-100, Kerr replied: "I feel like I'm probably 85 and above. I don't want to say I'm at 100 yet. I haven't had one of those games yet where I felt completely myself, but I think about 85 per cent and above."

The Matildas are hoping to land the Asian Cup for the first time since 2010. Kerr was part of the Australia squad at the time as the then-16-year-old tasted international success with the national team.

Kerr is the only remaining member of the squad that is still playing, which she admits makes her feel 'sad'. "That makes me sad that I'm the last one standing," Kerr said. "Still to this day, that is one of the best moments in my footballing career.

"And I know how much this team wants to win something together. I know how much every player wants to win something for the Matildas."

Australia have a number of fitness concerns heading into the Asian Cup. Mary Fowler has played just two games since suffering an ACL injury of her own, goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold has barely trained, while Arsenal's Kyra Cooney-Cross was a no-show in open training, which raised doubts about her availability for Sunday's opener.

Kerr has also admitted that she is excited to be heading into the tournament without the focus on her injury. Kerr tore her left calf on the eve of the 2023 World Cup in Australia, and then injured her right calf before the third-place playoff loss to Sweden as the Matildas reached the semi-finals.

"I'm just really looking forward to being in a tournament and not talking about my left calf," Kerr said.

"I've had a long journey from my ACL return, so I'm just honestly so excited, so grateful to be back here and just be playing football, enjoying training, enjoying all the things that come in, come with the team.

"Obviously, the last tournament didn't go the way I wanted personally, but on a team level it was an amazing tournament. So I feel like I'm just really lucky to be here again at a major tournament on home soil.

"Most people in their career don't get to play one home tournament at home. So the fact that we get two opportunities is an incredible honour."