Australia striker Sam Kerr suffered an ACL injury while on a warm weather training camp with Chelsea in January; the country’s all-time record goal scorer will not return in time for the Paris 2024 Olympics, Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson has confirmed

Australia’s all-time record goal scorer Sam Kerr has been ruled out of the Paris 2024 Olympics due to injury

Australia and Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has been ruled out of the Paris 2024 Olympics as she continues to recover from injury. 

The 30-year-old has been sidelined since January when suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during a warm weather training camp in Morocco with Chelsea.

Left out of Australia’s squad announced on Tuesday for two pre-Olympics friendlies against China, Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson said Kerr would not return in time for the Olympics in July.

Sam Kerr suffered an ACL injury during a warm weather training camp in Morocco with Chelsea.

Young midfielder Amy Sayer also tore her ACL last month and has been ruled out of the Olympics, but Katrina Gorry and Aivi Luik could return in time to feature in Paris, with Gustavsson adding that they will “most likely be physically available to be part of an Olympic roster.”

Kerr is Australia’s all-time record goal scorer and was expected to play a key part in Paris for Australia, who were beaten by the United States in the bronze-medal match at Tokyo 2020 and also suffered semi-final heartache against England at the Women’s World Cup on home soil last year.

Sam Kerr (R) and Australia were beaten by England in the semi-final stage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup

Australia face Germany in Marseille for their opening match of the Olympics on July 25. They also face Zambia (July 28) and the United States (July 31) in their group.

Since signing for Chelsea in 2019, Ker has played a pivotal role in the team’s five successive WSL titles, three FA Cup triumphs and two League Cup victories.

She has scored 99 goals for the Blues and a further 64 for Australia over that period, and has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or Feminin every year since its inception in 2018.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Emma Hayes says Sam Kerr has the club’s full support ahead of her trial next year for alleged racial harassment of a police officer. The Chelsea striker pleaded not guilty.

It has been a difficult few months for Kerr, however, as shortly after her ACL injury, she was charged with using insulting, threatening or abusive words that caused alarm or distress to a police officer during an incident in Twickenham on January 30.

Kerr has pleaded not guilty and is set to stand trial next February.

Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp

You can now receive messages and alerts for the latest breaking sports news, analysis, in-depth features and videos from our dedicated WhatsApp channel. Find out more here…