Australia captain Sam Kerr will sit out the next two matches of her home Woman’s World Cup with a calf injury, her national federation has announced.

The Chelsea striker is Australia’s all-time goalscorer of either gender with 63 goals across 121 caps, but she will be forced to watch Thursday’s opener against the Republic of Ireland from the bench after sustaining the injury during a training session on Wednesday.

Australia next face Nigeria on July 27 and will hope Kerr is fit enough to start their final group stage match on July 31 against Olympic champions Canada, the highest FIFA-ranked Group B nation.

A Matildas tweet read: “Sam Kerr is unavailable tonight after she picked up a calf injury at training on MD-1.

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“Sam will be unavailable for the next two matches, with the Matildas medical team to reassess her following our second group-stage match.”

Football Writers’ Association women’s footballer of the year Kerr, 29, took to Instagram to express her disappointment in a post that read: “Unfortunately I sustained a calf injury yesterday in training.

“I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from us doing what we came here to achieve.

“Of course I would have loved to have been out there tonight but I can’t wait to be a part of this amazing journey which starts now.”

Republic of Ireland defender Louise Quinn is confident the Girls in Green have a plan in place to shut down prolific Australia striker Sam Kerr when they face the hosts in their World Cup opener.

Quinn’s side, after all, have done it before, spoiling the Chelsea forward’s 100th appearance for the Matildas with a 3-2 victory when they met for the first time in history at Tallaght Stadium in September 2021.

Dublin native Quinn powered in a second-half header to break the deadlock and memorably hand the Republic their biggest win over a higher-ranked opponent in over two decades.

“It’s rare but I felt like I got one up on her with the Irish team in Tallaght and that is something that I will carry forward with me,” said Quinn, speaking during a team training session at Brisbane’s Meakin Park.

“But she’s very impressive, she’s very strong, easily one of the best strikers in the world now. For me, you concentrate on the whole thing but I definitely have an individual battle on my hands that is essentially what I want.

“What I want to so is to not let her score essentially. Keep her out of the game. She really creates moments out of nothing but it has to be 100 per cent for the 90 minutes.

“Yeah, she runs off the back shoulders a lot. She is so nippy that she can come around the front and come off your blindside and make runs in behind. I can’t wait for the challenge to be honest, this is what you play for, to play against the very best in the world. And she is one of the best.

“We’ve proved before against Australia that we can put something up against her and she was on the pitch that day and had her chances.”

Matildas captain Kerr, Australia’s top goal-scorer of either gender with 63 from 121 caps, was named the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Women’s Footballer of the Year for a second straight season after a 2022/23 campaign that saw her score 17 goals and pick up six assists across the Women’s Super League and Champions League.

She was largely shut down at Tallaght, where Mary Fowler netted two to keep Australia in a game Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson would later tell media he felt was “some kind of record” for the number of technical mistakes he observed in his side.

They will have to do better to impress the 80,000-plus crowd who have sold out Sydney’s Stadium Australia on Thursday night, the second contest on a two-match opening day beginning with co-hosts New Zealand’s meeting with Norway in Auckland.

Sunday was a recovery day for the Republic, who are hoping midfielder Denise O’Sullivan will be fit in time for the biggest day in team history after she was injured in their aborted friendly with Colombia.

An initial X-ray and CT scan encouragingly showed no fracture to O’Sullivan’s shin, and she will be assessed again on Monday afternoon.

Quinn’s name will forever go down in history as one of 23 selected to represent her country in their first World Cup. It is an astonishing accomplishment that has struck her sharply and sporadically, often when she has least expected it.

She said:  “I had a really random one after the Zambia game and we had a weekend off.

“I was just chatting to my girlfriend about something, and I was saying ‘I’ll do that after I get back from the World Cup.’ And I actually stopped for a second and realised that yes, I am going to a World Cup.

“And I had to stop for a moment. I got emotional. Because we’ve been talking about this all along but now it’s really confirmed. It hit me. We were just getting the dinner ready and chatting, ‘We’ll do this after the World Cup. It was really bizarre, a really emotional moment and I didn’t think that was going to happen.”

The world’s finest in women’s football have descended upon Australia and New Zealand for the ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Here, the PA news agency picks out five players who could shine at the global showpiece.

Lauren James (England)

The 21-year-old forward has both England fans and pundits alike buzzing after a stellar season with Chelsea, where she scored seven goals and provided two assists in 26 matches played across the Women’s Super League and Champions League.

While the World Cup will be James’ first major international tournament, she has plenty of experience in high-stakes situations with Emma Hayes’ WSL and FA Cup-winning Blues.

The one-time PFA Young Player of the Year nominee is aggressive and opportunistic with the ball while also displaying what often feels like effortless control, and says she is keen to carve out an identity separate to that of her older brother, Chelsea and England defender Reece James. This opportunity could well accelerate that mission.

Trinity Rodman (USA)

Rodman can no doubt relate to James – she is also a 21-year-old forward who is often mentioned in the same breath as her own famous relative, ex-NBA player dad Dennis Rodman.

But the 2021 National Women’s Soccer League Rookie of the Year and 2022 Ballon D’Or nominee has more than earned her solo spotlight since she became, at age 18, the youngest player drafted into the NWSL. And last February she extended her stay at Washington Spirit with what was widely reported to be a league record-breaking USD1.1 million, four-year deal.

Rodman seems to be in fine form ahead of the USA’s tournament opener against Vietnam after bagging a second-half brace in the Americans’ 2-0 win over Wales in a friendly earlier this month.

Khadija Shaw (Jamaica)

‘Bunny’ Shaw will be a familiar face to many from her time with the WSL’s Manchester City, particularly after a 2022/23 season in which she finished second only to England and Aston Villa forward Rachel Daly for the most goals scored in the English top flight.

The 26-year-old Reggae Girlz captain, who recently extended her stay at City until 2026, concluded her second season with 31 goals in 30 games and in the process became the highest-scoring women’s player across a single campaign in the club’s history.

Shaw is the first Caribbean player to win the CONCACAF Women’s Player of the Year award, and Jamaica will rely on the skipper’s leadership when they embark on just their second World Cup finals in a difficult Group F that includes heavy-hitters Brazil and France alongside Panama.

Sam Kerr (Australia)

Prolific striker Sam Kerr is precisely the sort of player you want on your side in those dig-deep, do-or-die situations when the pressure is at its most intense.

Fortunately for tournament co-hosts Australia, the 29-year-old back-flipping forward is one of their very own and could well be the weapon that ultimately deals the tournament-ending blow to two of World Cup debutants Republic of Ireland, Olympic champions Canada and Nigeria to send the Matildas into the knockout stage.

Chelsea boss Hayes has heaped praise on the ‘FIFA 23’ cover woman for her steely focus until the final whistle, often paying off in result-deciding goals like the one that won the Blues this year’s FA Cup. Kerr also scored in England’s only loss under head coach Sarina Wiegman, a 2-0 upset for the Lionesses against Australia in their April friendly.

Lena Oberdorf (Germany)

Germany’s young midfield star will be looking for retribution after narrowly missing out Euro 2022 glory last summer, when her side lost 2-1 to England in their dramatic Wembley final, although she did walk away with Young Player of the Tournament honours.

Though also just 21, the Wolfsburg talent will be making her second World Cup appearance, having made her debut in the 2019 French edition aged 17, where she sat school exams during the tournament.

Known for taking initiative, winning back possession and her well-timed challenges, Oberdorf will be a key cog in a strong German side’s title hopes as one of the tournament favourites kick off their campaign with group H matches against Morocco, Colombia and South Korea.

Sam Kerr says she loves the pressure of the big occasion and having the opportunity “to do something great” as the Chelsea striker prepares for Sunday’s FA Cup final against Manchester United.

Among the numerous important goals Kerr has scored for the Blues since joining in 2019-20 are a brace in each of the last two finals, when Emma Hayes’ side overcame Arsenal 3-0 and then Manchester City 3-2 after extra-time.

The prolific Australian also netted twice in stunning fashion on the final day of the 2021-22 Women’s Super League season as Chelsea came from behind to beat United 4-2 and claim the title for a third successive year.

Ahead of what is the first women’s FA Cup final to sell out Wembley, Kerr said: “I play this game to score goals and I love the pressure, I love the big games, I love being able to have a moment in the palm of your hands and be able to do something great.

“So I get excited about these games. People are still talking about that Man United last game of the season, and for me that was so exciting. I think it’s exciting when there’s another moment like that on the horizon.”

The 29-year-old also scored in Chelsea’s two WSL wins over United this term, including the only goal in March’s encounter at Kingsmeadow.

On the build-up to big matches, she added: “You can’t think about losing ever – that’s number one sin of a footballer.

“If you think about that, that’s going to happen. I only think about the good things. Once you start thinking negative thoughts, that’s the only way you’re going to go.

“I visualise scoring a goal, the celebration, seeing my family after the game, all the things that make me play football.”

Kerr, who is keen to stress she is a “very lucky player” in terms of getting “the most amazing service” from her team-mates, has scored 87 times for Chelsea and helped them win seven major trophies in her three-and-a-half years with the club so far.

And she has emphasised she feels like she still has “a lot more to give and a lot I want to achieve”, adding: “For me it’s about still getting better.

“Obviously you can’t look into the future, but I see myself going bigger and better than what I am now, and hopefully continue winning trophies with this team.”

After the conclusion to a season that could see Chelsea secure another double – they are currently second in the WSL, a point behind Marc Skinner’s United with a game in hand – Kerr is set for some summer, skippering her country as they co-host with New Zealand the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

She said: “It’s a bit crazy to think about it all to be honest.

“I think (I’ll reflect) after this whole summer, after it’s all said and done, but it’s been an amazing journey to get here.

“It’s not just about 2023. I think last year was amazing and then this year is obviously going to probably be the biggest year of my career and my life and something I’ll remember forever.

“It’s a whirlwind, but I’m enjoying it and I’m really proud to be a part of all of this change in women’s football.”

Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has been voted the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year, with Chelsea striker Sam Kerr receiving the women’s award.

Haaland, 22, has enjoyed a superb first season with City, scoring 51 goals in all competitions to help Pep Guardiola’s side top the Premier League and reach the FA Cup final as well as the semi-finals of the Champions League.

The Norway international received 82 per cent of the FWA vote, ahead of Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.

Australia striker Kerr, 29, has won the women’s Footballer of the Year award for the second successive season, with Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly and Chelsea team-mate Lauren James completing the top three.

Kerr has scored 26 goals in 34 club appearances this season as Chelsea, currently second in the Women’s Super League table, reached the FA Cup final and also the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Haaland and Kerr are set to receive their awards at the FWA Footballer of the Year 75th anniversary dinner in London on May 25.

Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has expressed her pride over her role in the King’s coronation last weekend, describing it as an “amazing experience”.

The Australia international on Saturday led her country’s delegation in the formal procession, carrying the flag as they made their way into Westminster Abbey.

Kerr, who helped Chelsea thrash Everton 7-0 in the Women’s Super League the following day, said: “I got offered the opportunity to be part of it about a month ago while I was in international camp, and I originally thought the Everton game was on the same day, so I thought it was not doable.

“But Emma (Hayes, the Chelsea manager) and the club were kind enough to let me attend, obviously because it’s an amazing, amazing honour, and something I’ll probably tell my kids about in 10, 15 years.

“It’s been a crazy week. I was quite worried about missing a training session, because that’s just who I am.

“But it all worked out – we had two wins (also 2-1 against Liverpool on May 3) and I got to attend the King’s coronation, which was something that was an amazing experience for me and a proud moment for my family.”

Kerr was speaking ahead of Chelsea taking on Manchester United on Sunday in what is the first Women’s FA Cup final to sell out Wembley.

The last two finals have been won by the Blues with Kerr scoring a brace in each, and the prolific 29-year-old forward said: “I love playing at Wembley, I think it’s probably my favourite stadium to play at in the world, just based on whenever you go there it’s a big game.

“I think this team always steps up when there’s a big occasion so it’s going be amazing – a packed-out crowd – my family is coming over for it. It’s going to be very exciting.”

As well as the FA Cup triumphs, Chelsea – currently a point behind WSL leaders United with a game in hand after Wednesday’s 6-0 victory over Leicester – have also secured three league titles and two League Cups since Kerr joined during the 2019-20 season.

Kerr added: “I think when you win one trophy, you can’t help but want more.

“I love winning, whether it’s FA Cup finals, a game at the weekend, in training, whatever, and I hate losing, so it’s easy to stay motivated as a footballer, that’s our job, that’s why we do it. If I wasn’t motivated, I wouldn’t be playing football. The FA Cup is a very important trophy to us and hopefully we can keep it at Chelsea.”

Sam Kerr’s late winner kept Chelsea in control of their Women’s Super League title destiny as they saw off Liverpool 2-1.

The Australia international struck four minutes from time at Kingsmeadow to complete a laboured comeback win after Niamh Charles had cancelled out Emma Koivisto’s early opener.

Victory left Emma Hayes’ side, playing for the first time since their Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Barcelona, four points behind leaders Manchester United and a point adrift of Manchester City with two games in hand on both teams.

The visitors, who won the reverse fixture 2-1 in September, stunned their hosts when they took a second-minute lead, full-back Koivisto smashing home a volley after Natasha Dowie had crossed to the back post.

Debutant goalkeeper Faye Kirby denied Guro Reiten at her near post after 14 minutes and then palmed away Kerr’s 22nd-minute header as the Blues responded.

They finally got their reward four minutes before the break when Charles glanced Eve Perisset’s corner past 19-year-old Kirby, although it took a fine stoppage-time save by Ann-Katrin Berger to keep out Shanice van de Sanden before Perisset blocked Dowie’s follow-up to ensure their side went in level.

Hayes made her move within nine minutes of the restart, sending on Pernille Harder and Jelena Cankovic for Lauren James and Erin Cuthbert, and the two newcomers almost made a swift impact with Harder only just failing to connect with Cankovic’s whipped 63rd-minute cross.

Frustration mounted among the Chelsea ranks as the breakthrough remained stubbornly beyond them with Reiten seeing an 82nd-minute strike ruled out for offside.

A point would have left the reigning champions six points behind United with a worse goal difference.

But they regained control of the title race with four minutes left when Kerr stabbed home the winner after Jessie Fleming’s attempt had crashed back off the crossbar and dropped to her.