Sam Kerr’s moment of generosity with a young fan has gone around the world, with the Matildas superstar seen handing over her match shirt after the dramatic penalty shootout win over France on Saturday evening in Brisbane.
Now, it has been revealed that the girl who received the shirt was offered $5,000 for it by a radio station. Speaking on Nova FM 69.9 radio, her mother joked with the hosts about trading the shirt for an expensive handbag, before confirming that it was her daughter’s choicie and that she would be holding onto her prized possession.
The Sydney Morning Herald managed to track down the lucky girl, nine-year-old Zara Borcak of Old Bridge FC, a local football club in Brisbane, who told the story herself.
“When she [Kerr] was talking to her coach, we were just screaming to her,” she explained. “And then she was looking towards everyone in the crowd for who to give it to.
“And she just gave it to me. I said ‘thank you’ and she said ‘you’re welcome’, and I was very excited. I thought that I had just imagined it,” Zara said. “I was like, ‘Is this really for me? Did I just meet Sam Kerr?’ But I really did.”
Her mother, Selma, was very grateful to Kerr and said that the moment showed the power of sport.
“She knows that she was the lucky girl,” she said. “She was excited to share it with her friends. And she just sat in the corner going through that video. Her sisters were probably even more excited, if that’s possible.
“That game, regardless of what nationality or if you were male, female, whatever, we were all one, and that’s what we need.
“As a kid, football was the big thing. But it was always a male thing. This is a next level for us girls to show that we are equal, that we can play, and we can achieve as well.”
All of Australian sport has been getting behind the Matildas, with AFL clubs showing Saturday’s game in their stadiums for fans to watch along, and now the national basketball team are set to move their match to allow fans to follow the World Cup.
The Boomers will face Brazil on Wednesday at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, but have pushed the start time forward to 5.30pm to clear the way for a 7.45pm kick off in Sydney.
“The Matildas have really captured the nation this World Cup, including a men’s national basketball team,” said NBA superstar and Boomers captain Patty Mills.
“The way the ladies play with so much heart and passion has been so inspiring to witness. Just like the rest of the country, our Boomers team have been locked in for each game, watching it as a team and enjoying every part of supporting and celebrating these incredible athletes.
“Supporting our fellow Australian athletes is crucial, so moving our game was an easy decision. We are now super excited to join the rest of Australia in watching the ladies on Wednesday after we play our second game in Melbourne. Up the Tillies!”
On a normal weekend, it would have been the biggest story in Australian football that Ange Postecoglou became the first ever Aussie to manage in the world’s best league, the Premier League.
But the Spurs coach was happy to be relegated to second place in favour of the Matildas, with Postecoglou telling Optus Sport after his first game that he was looking forward to watching the girls on Wednesday.
“Talking to people back home, the whole nation has got behind the Matildas and rightly so, they’ve been outstanding,” he said.
“For the semi-final against the English, I’m glad I’m here. I’ll be able to rub it in a few noses if the girls get up, which I’m sure they will.”
© AAP
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