Matildas captain Sam Kerr has revealed the pressure and excitement of building up to this year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia, and what it is like having another international star, America’s Kristie Mewis, as her partner.
Tuesday’s reveal of the World Cup ball, with a helicopter stunt at Bondi Beach, was a reminder that the finals are now less than six months away.
Before then Kerr has an English league and European campaign to complete with Chelsea, and Mewis a US league season to start in New York with Gotham FC.
“We’re just raging for the next six months to the World Cup, doing whatever we can,” said Kerr.
“We both feel like we’ve been gunning for this World Cup for so long now that it’s kind of going to be like we’re just giving everything for the next six months and then it’s gonna be like a breath of fresh air.’
Speaking to English lifestyle magazine Gaffer the West Australian continued: “It’s so stressful when you have a tournament coming up, one injury, staying fit, getting picked on the team, the pressure of a home World Cup, the pressure of being in form, all those things that go into a World Cup.
Sam Kerr will be back on home soil with the Matildas next month.Credit:Getty Images
“It’s just been building for two years now. So I think we’re both excited and just want to be there and want to do everything we can to perform there. So I think it’s just like rage for the next six months. Then you can take a deep breath.”
Kerr was unable to come home during the pandemic for more than two years and has relished being able to return since, whether in breaks or for internationals. She is next in Australia for matches against Spain, Jamaica and the Czech Republic next month.
