Sam Kerr is the superstar of Australian football and her eye-watering salary reflects that position.
The 29-year-old was the face of the recent 2023 Women’s World Cup and while she only appeared in Australia’s three knockout games, she was the talk of the tournament.
Kerr is one of the best strikers on the planet in the women’s game with her starpower also shining bright away from the pitch.
The Aussie star raked in $3.34m, according to AFR, last year thanks to a hefty contract with Chelsea alongside endorsement deals with Nike and EA Sports.
Her significant income blows her Matildas teammates out of the water, as she made more than double that of the next-highest paid teammate in Ellie Carpenter.
Kerr has been partnered with Nike for 13 years with her deal said to be worth a reported $1m annually.
Her Chelsea contract nets her more than $600,000 per season while in 2022 she became the first female footballer to appear on the cover of EA Sports’ FIFA video game.
She also has an endorsement deal with MasterCard.
Carpetener sits a long way behind in second placed on the Matildas list, becoming only the second player to earn over seven-figures.
She made $1.2 million over the past year thanks in large part to her contract with Olympique Lyonnais.
Emily van Egmond sits a distant third after earning just shy of $400,000. She’s ahead of Lydia Williams and Alanna Kennedy ($354k) and Katrina Gorry ($330k).
Four Matildas players earnt between $250-$300,000 with 20-year-old superstar Mary Fowler leading that contingent with earnings of $284k.
Kerr, the Matildas captain, is looking to secure the future of the game in Australia, launching her own football schools, which will be named Sam Kerr Football.
The superstar is hoping she can give kids following in her footsteps the leg up she didn’t get when she was coming through.
“I’m thrilled to announce the launch of Sam Kerr Football,” she said.
“Growing up, there weren’t opportunities for me to develop my game in a way that allowed me to perform at my best or how to manage my mental wellbeing.
“My hope is that delivery of a comprehensive program that is more than just skill development will give young players the best chance to live out their potential as a player.”
Having already inspired fans young and old, Kerr said the school was her way of showing her gratitude.
“Being in the position I’m in today, I want to give back to the sport I love and to my young fans,” she said.
“It’s an incredible privilege to be able to share what I have learned to better the sport, to build a legacy and to inspire and connect with the next generation of Australian footballers.
“The program will be developed under my guidance with support from the best in the game both in Australia and around the world.”
