Few players will ever feel the pressure that’s about to descend on Sam Kerr.
But there are even fewer better placed to handle it.
All eyes will be on the Matildas’ superstar captain when Australia open their Women’s World Cup campaign on Thursday night.
The rising screams that accompanied every Kerr involvement in Friday’s send-off game in Melbourne gave a preview to what’s to come at Accor Stadium in front of more than 75,000 fans against Ireland.
But arguably the world’s best footballer won’t shy away.
“If the pressure’s not there, it probably means it’s not that big of a game to be honest,” Kerr said earlier this month.
“Pressure is a privilege and I love pressure.
“I love being in a moment where one or two moments can change the path of your career really, and I think this World Cup is one of those moments.”
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
That approach has given Kerr’s teammates something to aspire to.
“I always admire how she’s able to deal with all that pressure and still be on the field and have a laugh,” young attacker Mary Fowler told AAP.
“I don’t know what she does in order to deal with that, but she always comes across as real chill – so I’m trying to be like that.”
Now four-time World Cup teammate Caitlin Foord knows Kerr arguably better than anyone.
“From the outside looking in it’s like ‘wow it’s Sam Kerr’ but for us, it’s Sam who we knew 10 years ago,” Foord told AAP.
“We don’t treat her any different. That naturally helps her, coming into our environment. We are the people she grew up with and that’s probably who she’s most comfortable to be around as well.
“There is going to be a lot of pressure on her and she knows that as well. The pressure is always there.
“That’s something that she’s had for a lot of years now and she’s handled it very well, so it’ll be no different going into this tournament.”
Kerr, 29, has come a long way from the baby-faced teenager who celebrated her first Matildas goal with a backflip and failed to stick the landing.
Thirteen years on, the goals and backflips are slicker, the celebration screams are fiercer.
Kerr has also grown into a leader, especially since Ante Milicic elevated her to captain in 2019.
“When we were younger, I don’t think people would have looked at her and thought ‘yeah, she’s going to be the future Matildas captain’ because she was just unapologetically herself,” vice-captain Steph Catley told AAP.
“She’s out there. She’s very just like, ‘blah. I’m Sam. This is me’. She’s still like that.
“But she also has developed into a very intelligent leader who thinks very emotionally, that thinks a lot about other people, that will stand up for what’s right, who has a really powerful voice, will speak up no matter what, leads by example, and is just a really good person.
“She’s turned into a leader that’s just there for everybody. She gets that real emotional response out of our team.”
Kerr will carry Australia’s hopes on her shoulders.
But that weight will dissipate when she senses an opening.
It’s these moments that set the Chelsea star apart.
“She’s really fine-tuned her craft and been the ultimate striker, really,” teammate Kyah Simon said.
“Her aerial abilities, her super strength, but also her different techniques in terms of the way that she finishes now, her movement is world class.
“For me, being the player to hopefully serve her the ball or get her the ball in dangerous areas, it’s a dream to work with.
“She just has a knack for finding space.”
© AAP
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
The Matilda scored the first two of her team's goals in the 4-0 win.
What if we celebrated all of the achievements big and small, and weeded out those hell-bent on bringing down a game that is doing a hell of a lot right?
The Matildas have been dealt a horrible hand as they strive to win their first Olympic medal. The draw for the women's and men's…
The ruthless Matildas have thrashed Uzbekistan 10-0 to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games in style, with Michelle Heyman scoring four goals to put…
In a few hours, the Matildas will round off a successful pair of matches against Uzbekistan with a convincing win and be qualified for…
Michelle Heyman has delighted in scoring her first international goal in almost eight years to inspire a 3-0 victory over Uzbekistan and drag the…
