Australian football star Sam Kerr has been officially ruled out of the 2024 Paris Olympics as he recovers from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
The forward suffered the injury during Chelsea’s training camp in January.
The Matildas’ coach said when announcing his squad for Australia’s final friendly before the Olympics that Cole would not be able to return in time for July’s Games.
Cole – arguably Australia’s biggest sporting icon – is the country’s all-time goalscoring record holder.
She is the latest in a long line of high-profile female footballers to suffer ACL injuries, including England captain Leah Williamson and Netherlands forward Viviane Miedema. Professional athletes typically take at least nine months to recover after surgery.
The Matildas suffered a terrible blow during their preparations for the Olympics, with several key members of the team missing due to injuries.
Key midfielder Katrina Gorry is out with ankle surgery, defender Clare Hunt has a fracture in her foot and stalwart Aivi Luik has a hamstring injury. Young midfielder Amy Sayer also has been ruled out of the Olympics after tearing her ACL last month.
Ahead of the testimonial match against China, Matildas coach Tony Gustafsson said selecting an 18-player Olympic squad had become a complicated equation – with some players hoping to return competing against the clock.
“This window will be a difficult one for me and my staff as we assess the players, their positions and the final selection process in Paris,” he said.
Cole is expected to be an integral part of the Matildas’ medal campaign in Paris, after the team failed to finish on the podium at the Tokyo Olympics and last year’s World Cup in Australia.
During her time at Chelsea, Cole won four Women’s Super League titles, three FA Cups, two Women’s League Cups and the Women’s Community Shield.
She has scored 99 goals for Chelsea and 64 goals for Australia, and has been nominated for the Women’s Football Ballon d’Or every year since its inception in 2018.
But it’s been a rough 12 months for Kerr.She spent much of the home World Cup on the bench due to a calf strain, shortly after injuring her ACL in January. London police officer accused of racially aggravated harassmentshe pleads not guilty.
