Setting records, breaking boundaries and compared to Manchester United legends – Chelsea superstar Sam Kerr’s rise from Aussie rules roots to the pinnacle of women’s football

Emma Hayes and Sir Alex Ferguson have a lot of things in common - both award-winning coaches with glittering careers in charge of teams that have dominated the top flight of English football.

But the similarities don’t stop there. Sir Alex had a knack of finding world-class goalscorers throughout his legendary tenure at Manchester United, and Hayes has found one in Chelsea star Sam Kerr.

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Kerr, 28, has come a long way from growing up playing Aussie rules with her brothers - which will surprise nobody if you've seen that video of her decking a pitch invader - to becoming one of the Women's Super League's biggest stars.

She is also now the top goalscorer in the history of Australian international football - recently overtaking Tim Cahill's record to make it 54 goals for her country.

Joining Chelsea from Chicago Red Stars in 2020, Kerr has taken her career to new heights since her WSL arrival - including leading the Blues to a historic treble-winning campaign last season.

Kerr has also formed a formidable partnership with teammate Fran Kirby, with manager Hayes comparing the duo to Man United legends Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole, whose goals also fired Ferguson's Red Devils to a famous treble.

“You don’t come across these types of partnerships easily and sometimes they are formed over many, many years,” said Hayes.

"They just get each other. That’s not coached, that’s just trying to put them in the right spaces and they figure the rest out. They are talented, world-class players and I think all the praise is fully justified.

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“A brilliant partnership. Yorke and Cole, I think about those two, Kerr and Kirby, in terms of the spaces they fill.

“The thing that stands out is the selflessness. Making runs or making decisions for someone else. They are the hardest things to get across to players and they understand it in droves.”

Both Yorke and Cole notched a combined 53 goals as they fired Manchester United a treble in 1999, which including the club's famous Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich.

Kerr and Kirby surpassed that record with 59 goals between the pair when Chelsea's Women lifted three trophies in one campaign, although Europe's elite competition eluded the pair that season.

Australia captain and the Matildas' all-time top goalscorer's rise to the top of the sport will also be no surprise to anybody who has followed her career.

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Elite sport has played a significant part in her life as Kerr's father, brother and uncles were all professional footballers in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) - that's Aussie rules to the rest of us.

Although she didn't start her football [the real kind] journey until the age of 12, Kerr's natural talent stood out and she was scouted for the international team within three years.

Kerr broke records in both the Australian W-League and American National Women's Soccer League, where she took the chance to prove herself in one of the best league's in women's football.

The 28-year-old caught Chelsea's attention and signed for the west Londoners in January 2020, where her career continued to blossom into the next level - scored 45 goals in 62 appearances and winning multiple titles.

A role model on an off the pitch, Kerr has opened up on her own influences and how she takes inspiration from her parental grandmother and is proud of her Indian heritage.

Speaking to , she said: "My Indian heritage is something I’m really proud of and I know my nanna’s really proud that I’m representing young Indian girls whenever I go out there and play.

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"I think reaching the Champions League final was a really cool moment for my nan, and my family over here that is English, they’re really proud of me too. I hope it inspires young girls.

"We have the Asian Cup coming up in India next year so, fingers crossed, everything goes well in India and we can still get out there.

"I’ve never been to India. It’s something that I definitely want to get involved in, learning about my Indian heritage and culture."

The goal machine boasts the remarkable title of being the only football player to win a Golden Boot in three different leagues on three different continents, and there is nothing stopping her from achieving further success.

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Hayes even hailed Kerr as 'the best striker in the world' following her heroic performance in Chelsea's FA Cup triumph last December and, with the titles and records to her name, there is little argument about that.

"As far as I'm concerned, she's the best striker in the world and she displayed that when it mattered most," said Hayes.

"She's courageous, she's full of confidence and she can do that after getting off a plane from Sydney on Thursday. 

"Champions don't make excuses or look for anybody else to manage them. Sam takes responsibility and every time I listen to her and every time I watch her perform, she's in charge. 

"She's in control of making sure that she sets the standards for herself and that's what I admire about her. There was no way she was going to be on the losing team today. She sets that tone in such a way that I've rarely seen. 

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"We are extremely lucky to have her at this football club."

Listen to Sam Kerr in action as talkSPORT 2 bring you live commentary of Chelsea vs Manchester United in the Continental Cup semi-final, Wednesday February - kick-off: 19:00 GMT