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Sam Kerr is officially back in the National Women’s Soccer League.
The league’s all-time leading scorer has signed a deal through the 2030 NWSL season with Gotham FC where she played from 2015-17. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Kerr is not eligible for High Impact Player (HIP) money. She will feature for a Gotham side that won the Challenge Cup over the Kansas City Current on Friday.
“I’m incredibly excited to return to Gotham FC and to this city,” Kerr said. “This club was animportant part of my journey, and to come back at this moment, with everything Gotham hasbuilt, is really special. The ambition here is clear, and I’m looking forward to helping this teamcompete for trophies and create more history.”
“Sam is one of the defining players of her generation and a game-changing talent who hasconsistently delivered at the highest levels of world football,” Gotham president of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West said. “Her winning mentality, relentless competitiveness and ability to decide matches in an instant make her one of the most impactful players in the game. Bringing Sam back to Gotham is a landmark moment for our club, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
Kerr was an NWSL original, playing for the Western New York Flash from 2013-14. She won the Shield with the Flash in 2013 and then featured an the NWSL Championship loss to the Thorns at just 19-years-old. Kerr then made a move to Sky Blue FC (now Gotham), where she played three seasons. In 2018, she joined the Chicago Red Stars and called the Windy City home for two years. She has 119 regular-season appearances, with a staggering 113 starts.
In her second stint with Gotham, Kerr will be looking to add to her record 77 goals. She was also the first two-time NWSL Most Valuable Player winner (since joined by Temwa Chawinga), earning the title in 2017 and 2019. She was named to the NWSL’s Best XI in 2017, 2018 and 2019 — and won the Golden Boot in all three seasons.
The Australian headed to Europe in 2020, joining Chelsea FC. She started 70 of 93 appearances, scoring 65 goals and providing 22 assists. During her time in London, Kerr became a five-time FA Women’s Super League champion, a three-time FA Cup champion and a UEFA Women’s Champions League runner-up in 2021. Chelsea also won the FA Women’s League Cup three times, and was the runner-up in 2022.
At Chelsea, Kerr earned the FA Women’s Super League Golden Boot title twice, in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. She was part of the UEFA Women’s Champions League Squad of the Season during the 2020-21 campaign. Kerr was a three-time WSL Team of the Year winner.
In her native Australia, Kerr has featured for Perth Glory (2008-11 and 2014-19) and Sydney FC (2012-14). She won the W-League Championship with Sydney FC in 2013, and was the runner-up with Perth Glory three times (2014, 2017 and 2019).
Internationally, Kerr is the all-time leading scorer for the Australian women’s national team, owning 75 goals in 141 appearances. The Matildas have won one AFC Women’s Asian Cup title with Kerr, and were runners-up three times, most recently starring in the tournament this past March. Australia fell to Japan in the championship match.
Kerr has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or Féminin Award, being runner-up to Aitana Bonmatí in 2023, and finishing third in the vote in 2021 and 2022.
