Move over Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and LeBron James, a former Socceroos captain has declared Perth’s own Sam Kerr as the biggest sports star in the world right now.
Paul Wade witnessed Kerr lead her Matildas to an 8-0 thrashing of the Philippines at Optus Stadium on Sunday and said there is no bigger name helping to drive their respective sport.
“Sam Kerr is probably the best, the most famous sportsperson in the world right now,” he told SportsFM.
“60,000 little girls and the boys turn up it’s just a wonderful thing if they keep seeing it over and over again it just keeps building that love of football.
“It’s a beautiful position to be in for women’s football.”
Last week, the new State Football Centre was re-named in Kerr’s honour – something she described as one of the proudest moments of her career.
Wade said it we must continue to recognise the greatness of Kerr and this current side.
“We should recognise them again and again and again so the profile of all of them rise,” he said.
The Philippines, who are ranked 44th in the world, were outclassed at Optus Stadium and sterner challenges will surely lie ahead in this qualifying campaign and beyond.
However, Wade said that should not take away from the performance and said he admired coach Tony Gustavsson for utilising his bench strength, something he was criticised for not doing during the World Cup.
“It’s tough to score a goal nowadays no matter what level you’re playing at so putting 8 past the Philippines is a tick,” Wade said.
“Tony Gustavsson realises it’s great we’ve got a golden generation, it’s not going to last forever so we need that experience and new blood coming through.”
Wade called for more support for football to capitalize on the team’s success.
“You’ve got to pay for everything, but a lot more should be subsidised, we really do have to make it a bit easier at the grassroots level.”
Cheer on the Matildas as they begin their journey to Olympic Gold with a FREE life-sized Sam Kerr poster. Collect a new poster part every day in The West Australian from Friday, October 27 till Wednesday, November 1. Only in The West.