Chelsea superstar Sam Kerr is one of the best players in women's football, and her ability was further emphasised by scoring the winning goal in an FA Cup final as well as being the top scorer for Chelsea as they won a fourth straight league title.
She has also become a household name back in Australia due to her role as star player in the women's national team, 'the Matildas'; and she scored a stunning goal in Australia's semifinal against England, though the Matildas would lose 3-1.
SAM KERR THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE 💚💛
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) August 16, 2023
Matildas level it up at Stadium Australia.
Watch 📲 https://t.co/ld3UegzwLk #FIFAWWC #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/aFsFuPulMS
It is rare for a footballer to receive such adulation in Australia, which proves that Kerr is one of Australia's greatest and most successful Australian athletes currently competing.
The Sporting News looks at the achievements of Kerr, and how they match up compared to other outstanding Australian athletes currently wowing the world with their skill.
MORE: Sam Kerr's rise to stardom
Sam Kerr achievements and records
Sam Kerr's rise to stardom has been phenomenal, and her achievements for both club and country are almost endless. She has scored 240 goals in 346 club games, and was also the top scorer in the WSL for Chelsea in their successful 2020-21 season; in just four seasons she is already the seventh highest goalscorer in the history of the competition.
During her time in the USA's top women's soccer league, she broke the all-time scoring record with 77 goals, 18 goals clear of the next best player.
She is also a captain, AFC Asian Cup winner and record breaker for the Matildas; she broke Tim Cahill's record of most goals scored for any Australian national team in 2022, and currently has 64 goals in 123 games for the Matildas.
These have led to her being given an Order of Australia Medal in 2022, being the Australian flag bearer at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla, and became the first female player to be on the global cover of popular video game FIFA 23.
Sam Kerr today led her nation’s delegation at the Coronation of King Charles III.
— (C)helsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) May 6, 2023
We’re so proud of you, @SamKerr1. 💙 pic.twitter.com/YaGwIEsTXG
Which other Australian athletes are making a name for themselves on the world stage?
Pat Cummings: Australian test cricket captain
Being the test cricket captain of Australia has been called the second biggest job in the country after being Prime Minister, and it's a role that Pat Cummings has taken to comfortably since 2021.
Cummings — who became one of the youngest test debutants at 18 years old — overcame a series of injury issues early in his career to become a mainstay in the Australian test team, as well as one of the best fast bowlers in the world.
After being named vice-captain in 2019, he had a highly successful year where he won the Allan Border medal for best Australian cricketer of the year, and the ICC Test cricketer of the year.
As captain, he oversaw a successful Ashes series win at home 2020-21 and was the leading wicket taker in the series, and he will look to lead Australia to a rare series win in England in June.
Kaylee McKeown: Olympic Gold Medalist
Some of Australia's greatest athletes have won gold at Olympic Games and World Championship's, and Kaylee McKeown is no exception.
She shot to prominence at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she won three gold medals and broke the world record for the 100 metre backstroke that still stands today; she also holds the world record in the 200 metre backstroke.
Many Australians excelled in the pool in Tokyo, but McKeown was the standout of a great bunch.
On top of that, she won four gold medals at the 2022 World Championships, and four Gold medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham
Cameron Smith: 2022 Open Championship winner
He may not be the first Cameron Smith to come to mind when thinking of notable Australian athlete's, but Cameron Smith was one of last year's top golfers.
His biggest achievement by far was winning the 2022 Open Championship, which is the oldest and one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world; the win saw him rise to second in the world rankings.
He also won two further championships on the PGA Tour that year, to go along with four that were won in previous years.
Such was his status in the golf world, he was courted by and eventually signed on with the controversial but highly lucrative LIV Golf League for 2023, seeing him join many former world number one and other successful golfers in teeing up for the renegade golfing tour.