Sam Kerr’s Return to Gotham FC
The last time Sam Kerr donned a Gotham jersey, the team was known as Sky Blue FC, playing at Yurkak Field on the Rutgers campus. Fast forward to Wednesday night, and she made her exciting second debut for Gotham against the Washington Spirit at Citi Field during the Queens Classic. Coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute, she had nine touches, including a shot on goal, helping secure a 1-0 win for her team.
Since Kerr’s last season with the team in 2017, Gotham has evolved significantly. They are now sharing a permanent home with NYCFC at Etihad Park, marking their move from Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey to New York City’s first soccer-specific stadium.
Back in 2017, when Kerr was awarded the NWSL Golden Boot and MVP, the landscape was different. Now, boasting two NWSL Championships, she’s also represented Australia in two more World Cups and participated in a Summer Olympics. Interestingly, she will remain the NWSL’s all-time leading scorer until 2024, holding both the regular season career goals record and Australia’s top international scorer title with 73 goals.
What led to her decision to return to the defending NWSL champions? “First and foremost, I always wanted to come back to the NWSL,” Kerr explained to reporters after her signing. “I loved my time here and had so much fun. There was always this urge to return since we played some great football. Plus, with the changes at Chelsea—it felt like I needed something new. Chelsea was really my only option.”
In recent years, the NWSL has witnessed astonishing growth. Attendance figures have surged, with an impressive new record set during the opening weekend of the season—129,202 fans attended the games.
2024 marked the first time the league’s total spectator count for a season exceeded 2 million. Hosting matches at MLB stadiums has become commonplace, with venues like Oracle Park having welcomed over 40,000 fans for a game last year. Wrigley Field also hosted a match between the Red Stars and Bay FC.
Wednesday’s event was especially notable as it was the inaugural NWSL regular season game held in New York City.
Reflecting on the occasion, Gotham head coach Juan Carlos Amoros expressed his excitement: “What a game it was! I’m thrilled to play in front of so many fans at Citi Field. This is a historic moment for women’s soccer and sports in New York City and the U.S.”
Kerr added, “It really feels like a full-circle moment. When I left Gotham, we were Sky Blue, playing in front of thousands. Now we’re getting what we’ve fought for—playing among the best and earning the salaries we deserve in packed stadiums.”
She acknowledged the impact others had during her absence: “So many people have done incredible work over the past six years that made it possible for me to come back and live out this American dream.”
With this scoring prowess, Kerr’s return comes as a boost to a team that had managed only 15 goals in 13 games before her debut. She reunites with former Chelsea teammates Jess Carter, Ann-Katrin Berger, and Guro Leiten, while also eyeing the opportunity to reclaim her all-time goalscoring record.
