Kerr scores added accolade

Matildas star selected in international team of year

MATILDAS striker Samantha Kerr has gained further international recognition with selection in a women’s world team of the year.

The International Federation of Football History (IFFHS) has announced its 2017 rankings in Zurich with Kerr winning approval from voters in 91 countries.

She has already claimed awards as the Australian Sports Woman of the Year, the ABC Sports Personality of the Year, the MVP of the USA National League, the Julie Dolan Medal for Australia’s WLeague and Asian Women’s Footballer of the Year.

Kerr has been a prolific scorer for the Matildas and her W-League team Perth Glory, and was the first Australian woman to be named as a contender for the FIFA Player of the Year but failed to make the final three.

She scored 17 goals in her American season with the Sky Blues FC as well as being the first to score four goals in a game in beating Seattle Reign.

She also notched four goals for Australia when the Matildas won the Tournament of Champions earlier this year.

On Saturday, Kerr scored a hat-trick in seven second-half minutes for the Glory and celebrated the feat with her trademark back somersault.

“I think I can still get better and have a lot of learning and growing up to do,” the 24-yearold Kerr said. “Hopefully I can become even better in the next three or four years.”

The IFFHS also named the men’s team of 2017 which was headed by strikers Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and the year’s outstanding club coach Zinadine Zidane.