Matildas Captain AKA Australia’s True PM Sam Kerr Just Won Runner Up UEFA Player Of The Year

By

Published

September 1, 2023

Australia’s glorious leader and top goal scorer Sam Kerr has been awarded the runner up positon in UEFA’s (Union of European Football Associations) Player Of The Year awards, as she bloody well deserves.

The award was given to Kerr to cap off her fantastic season for Euro club Chelsea, where she aided her club in winning both the Women’s FA Cup and the Super League, scoring an astounding 29 goals this season. Twenty. Nine. Chelsea, give her a knighthood.

As well as the humble feat of making the entire country shout for joy every time she graced our screens, this is the Matildas captain’s first time receiving the award, and the first time it has ever been given to an Australian since the UEFA awards began in 2013.

Just beating Kerr for the top spot was Aitana Bonmati, awarded for her efforts in her club Barcelona. Bonmati is also a member of the Spanish national team, whom she dedicated her award to, saying: “This team deserves to be celebrated and deserves to be listened to, and I’m going to give them again a big applause and I hope you will join.”

Meanwhile the men’s Player Of The Year was awarded to Manchester City striker, Erling Haaland. Coach Of The Year was given to Pep Guardiola, also of Man City.

The EUFA Player Of The Year awards are selected through a process of player nomination by UEFA technical observers. Then once a shortlist is compiled, over 80 individual coaches, journalists, and football officials cast their votes using a point system for who should receive the title of Player Of The Year. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players.

Final counts for the women’s award were announced online. Sam Kerr received 88 points in total, while Aitana was awarded 308.

🗳️ Votes for UEFA Women’s Player of the Year 2022/23:

🥇 308 — Aitana Bonmatí
🥈 88 — Sam Kerr
🥉 72 — Olga Carmona

𝗗𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘. pic.twitter.com/j1tq8PD3f3
— Blaugranagram (@Blaugranagram) August 31, 2023

Though Sam Kerr did not not receive the top spot, much like Matildas in the World Cup this year she has everything to be proud of getting further than any Australian ever has. Deserving all the praise we can give her, and more. Onya Kerr!

Now let’s watch that goal against England one more time.