Sam Kerr reveals US legend inspired her rise
Ahead of tonight's 10th season of the Westfield W-League, Aussie superstar Sam Kerr has revealed a former US teammate inspired her supersonic rise as a force in women’s football.
Speaking on Extra Time (see player above), the 24-year-old Perth Glory and Westfield Matildas striker said her stint with US side Western New York Flash was pivotal in shaping her career rise.
Back in 2013 at Flash, Kerr played alongside a legend of world football who was nearing retirement.
“Abby Wambach, US legend,” said Kerr, when asked who inspired her.
“She [Wambach] affected my life off the field than she did on the field - more than people might think is weird because she was such a great player.
“She was a great teammate. Someone I looked up to and she’d do anything for her teammates.”
Kerr played alongside Wambach in the Flash forward line for a season, as the Aussie began making waves as a striker on the world stage.
The US striker, now retired, is quite simply one of the greatest footballers – male or female – of the modern era.
Wambach is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA World Cup champion, scoring a staggering 184 goals on the international stage, more than any other male or female player in the history of international competition.
Before she retired in 2015, Wambach won US Soccer's Female Player of the Year six times, and in 2012 was named FIFA World Player of the Year.
In 2015 she was named by Time Magazine as one of the world’s most influential people.
“If I could say one thing about Abby to anyone it was she was a great person,” added Kerr.
“And that just changed my view on when I leave football what I want people to remember me for.
“She achieved so much, I think, because she was such a great person and everyone wanted to fight for her.
“She changed my view on being a good person, as well as being and a good teammate.”