Hundreds of fans lining up to catch a glimpse of Matildas and Chelsea megastar Sam Kerr at shopping centre
She’s a Perth favourite with the keys to the City and now global soccer megastar Sam Kerr once again has hundreds of eager fans lining up to catch a glimpse.
The Chelsea and Matildas striker was beaming as she met supporters, posed for photos and signed books at the centre of a school holiday flurry at Garden City on Tuesday morning.
Kerr has launched the fourth book in her children’s series Kicking Goals, which are based around her journey as a young soccer player growing up in an Australian Rules haven.
It created a flood of green and gold with a dash of blue in the shopping centre, with children lined up clad in the Matildas and Socceroos outfits and even a Chelsea kit as they waited on the chance to meet their hero, while other shoppers would have had a pleasant surprise.
Kerr was sporting a casual look and a massive smile.
The lucky fans had their fresh copies signed by Kerr outside the Dymocks store, who has been staying in Perth since June 10.
But it was only for the most enthusiastic and patient of fans, with queues to meet Kerr face-to-face snaking from the store, to well outside the Booragoon centre.
The 28-year-old is spending her off-season in her home State after a dominant season in England’s Women’s Super League for Chelsea, where she guided the club to a league and Women’s FA Cup double this season.
She was also voted the Professional Footballer’s Association Player of the Year in just her second season in the UK since leaving Perth Glory.
On Friday, Kerr was awarded the keys to the City at a ceremony in front of a heaving crowd at Forrest Place — an event she shared with the freshly-crowned Super Netball premiers West Coast Fever in a significant celebration of women’s sport.
It was the first time since the West Coast Eagle’s premiership-winning 1992 season an athlete had been given the honour.
“I feel really proud. It’s amazing, I’m a proud West Australian. It’s the biggest honour for me,” she said.
“I think it shows the growth of women’s sport that I’m the first but hopefully not the last.
“This couldn’t have happened 10 years ago. To have all these kids out here, it’s a proud moment for me and hopefully one they’ll remember for the rest of their lives because I remember when I was growing up there weren’t this many opportunities for young girls.”
Kerr also made an appearance in front of a packed Eagles home crowd last month, taking the plunge as part of its Mini Freeze event supporting Fight MND.