January 5, 2020, will be the day that Sam Kerr, 26, will wear her emblematic #20 printed on the back of a Blues jersey for her first competitive FA Women's Super League match.
— Sam Kerr (@samkerr1) December 28, 2019
The women's football world has anticipated this day since Kerr signed a two-and-a-half-year deal worth more than $600,000 a season with Chelsea Football Club on November 13 making her one of the best-paid women footballers in the world. This move is the start of something big for Kerr, the West London Club and women's club football in England.
The Australian captain led the Chicago Red Stars to the NWSL final as the golden boot recipient scoring 18 goals in 2019. Kerr is used to this award given the fact that she's won it five years in a row during her time in the NWSL and the W-League. She is the all-time top scorer for both leagues with 69 goals during her time in the U.S. and 70 in Australia.
The Matildas were knocked out of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France in the round of 16 by Norway in penalties. A shocking result given Kerr's astonishing scoring record of five goals in just four matches including four in the last group-stage match against Jamaica. Despite the early exit, Kerr, once again, showed why she's one of the most feared strikers on the planet.
Kerr arrived at Chelsea on December 27 and since has been preparing with manager Emma Hayes and the Chelsea squad for their first game of the year against middle of the table Reading. This will be her first test, but the match everyone is waiting for is the one against Arsenal on January 19 at Meadow Park.
All eyes will be on Kerr and the young Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema who is ready for a top-notch rivalry after a wonderful World Cup in France and FA WSL season. Miedema, 22, scored three goals in France 2019 and won the FA WSL golden boot last season with 22 goals.
Arsenal's #9 is on her way to a consecutive golden boot leading the FA WSL in goals and assists with 14 and seven respectively in just nine matches. She also leads the UEFA Women's Champions League topscorers chart in goals with 10.
Miedema scored six and assisted four in a match against Bristol earlier in the season. In a coincidence, Kerr will face Bristol before her match against Arsenal. This will give you a good idea of Kerr's ability to adapt to a league and serve as a comparison to Miedema's incredible performance.
The Messi-Ronaldo rivalry attracted millions of viewers to La Liga from all around the world. We will see the same effect on the FA WSL. The world of women's football has never seen a rivalry like the one it's about the receive. The league will profit from TV viewership leading to better sponsorship deals in the future.
As for Chelsea F.C. Women, expect them to challenge for the league title and more so a place in the Champions League. Kerr will bag in goals with her right foot, left foot and head if she keeps her overall current professional momentum going. Her leap will help her tower over defenders becoming a threat in all sorts of attacking situations including set-pieces.
