Matildas star Sam Kerr has celebrated her return to the United States National Women’s Soccer League with a victory.
The match played at Citi Field saw Gotham FC defeat the Washington Spirit in front of more than 42,000 fans.
Kerr took to the pitch in the 64th minute and was cheered on by her American wife Kristie Mewis, before her team scored a 1-0 match win.
The 32-year-old has endured a nightmare run in recent times regarding her health.
Kerr has been forced to complete a difficult rehabilitation process after undergoing ACL surgery.
Despite the adversity, Kerr is looking to write a new chapter at the place where her career took off.
Matildas star Sam Kerr (pictured) has made a successful return to the USA National Women’s Soccer League
Kerr (pictured) returned in the 64th minute of the match – before her side claimed a 1-0 victory
The 32-year-old’s return was watched on by her wife Kristie Mewis (pictured, the happy couple)
Kerr and Mewis (pictured at their wedding) married each other in front of family and friends in Perth
‘It’s weird, honestly,’ Kerr said.
‘I spent most of the start of my career here [with Sky Blue/Gotham], and then to go to Chelsea and be in Europe for so long, it’s just so different.’
The crowd number for Kerr’s comeback was a far cry from the attendance figure she experienced in the league when she was much younger.
She last played for the club during their era of performing at a stadium with a measly 5000 person capacity.
‘In many ways this is like a full circle moment with Sam Kerr coming here and being able to experience this on her first night,’ NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said.
The Matildas poster girl’s return came just months after she tied the knot to fellow football star Mewis.
Kerr and Mewis met during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, where Australia and the United States crossed paths at the tournament.
They kept their relationship private for nearly two years before confirming it publicly during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021.
The couple’s relationship was hard launched by Mewis, who posted a photo of them together on Instagram after Australia won bronze.
Since going public, Kerr and Mewis have become one of women’s football’s most high-profile couples.
The couple were married on New Year’s Eve 2025 in a lavish yet deeply personal ceremony in Perth.
