Most Australians who love their sport know who Sam Kerr is, but who is the leading woman in her life Kristie Mewis?
Kerr, who has sat out for the Matildas for almost a year because of a knee injury, shared some good news with her fiancée on social media overnight.
After four years together, the couple announced that they were welcoming their first child into the world next year.
‘Mewis-Kerr baby coming 2025!’ they shared on Instagram.
The couple were engaged in 2023 and shared special celebrations with friends and family in Australia and the United States before their latest big announcement.
But who is Kristen Mewis, the woman who has stolen the Matildas spearhead’s heart?
Kristie Mewis (left) is the loved-up and pregnant fiancée of Australian football star Sam Kerr
The West Ham midfielder is a huge supporter of her partner on and off the field
Mewis is a star footballer in her own right, but is happy to play the devoted fan as well
Mewis, 33, is a midfielder for West Ham United in the Women’s Super League and a key player for the United States national soccer team.
Her journey has been one of perseverance, particularly in her national team career.
After making 15 appearances for the U.S. team between 2013 and 2014, Mewis found herself sidelined from the international scene despite performing well at the club level.
Her return to the national team came six years later in 2020, when she scored in a 2-0 victory against the Netherlands.
This marked a historic moment, as it was 2,722 days after her first goal in 2013, the longest span between goals in US Women’s National Team history.
Since her comeback, Mewis has become a regular fixture, earning call-ups to every squad from 2021 to 2023 before being cut again for the Paris Olympics squad.
While she is a talented footballer in her own right, Mewis is best known outside of the US for her high-profile relationship with the Matildas captain who joined Chelsea in the WSL in 2020.
The two athletes began their relationship during the 2020 Covid lockdown and officially announced it on Instagram in 2021.
Rumours around Kerr and Mewis’ romance began to swirl at the Tokyo Olympic Games
The couple embraced on the field after USA had beaten Australia in the bronze medal match (pictured)
But speculation began to swirl about their relationship started during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, when Team USA faced Australia in the bronze medal match.
After the US secured the bronze, Mewis comforted Kerr on the field with an emotional hug, sparking widespread dating rumours.
In a January 2023 interview with Gaffer, the couple confirmed they had been together since 2020.
‘We were forced to talk,’ Mewis said of their early relationship, which began during lockdown.
Kerr added, ‘It was about three or four months until we could hang out in person. The first time we ever met there was quarantine, so we had to spend two weeks together. I was thinking if I don’t like her, this is going to be awkward.’
The couple were also involved in a love triangle situation at the FIFA Women’s World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand, with Mewis’ ex-partner Rachel Daly lining up for England.
Mewis travelled around the world to support Kerr in the FIFA Women’s World Cup bronze medal math in Australia
Daly and Mewis dated from 2017 to 2019 before going their separate ways, however Daly showed at the World Cup she had a long memory when it came to their split.
Kerr and Daly colllided in the World Cup semi-final when England beat Australia 3-1 – and the English star let Mewis’ new flame know all about it.
While Kerr was left to process the loss, Daly marched off the field with a broad grin.
It came with Mewis in the stands. Despite USA being eliminated earlier, she was there to support Kerr only to watch her ex walk away with the victory.
Their relationship has drawn attention not only for their high-profile soccer careers but also for their openness.
Mewis has expressed hope that their love story can inspire others.
‘I think just being out and being two girls in love, if we can change one or two people’s lives and how comfortable they feel, that means a lot to me,’ she shared in her interview with Gaffer.
