(Reuters) – Australia forward Hayley Raso said it is “so much nicer” to have Sam Kerr as a team mate rather than facing her at club level, and that the Matildas are lucky to have a player of her talent on the team as they prepare for the Women’s World Cup.
Chelsea forward Kerr is Australia’s all-time leading scorer and will spearhead the co-hosts’ attack alongside Raso at the July 20 to Aug. 20 tournament.
“Having someone like Sam Kerr though on your team is so much nicer than playing against her at club level, as I’ve done in England,” Raso, joined Real Madrid after three years in England at Everton and Manchester City, told FIFA.
“Sam is an incredible athlete, she scores goals for fun and is one of the best in the world. For us in the national team, we’re really lucky to be able to play alongside her.”
Raso, 28, has had to overcome serious injury to continue representing her country.
In 2018 the winger broke three vertebrae playing club football in the U.S. and was uncertain if she would ever set foot on the pitch again.
“It was really traumatic for me both mentally and physically, and when I was in the hospital I remember thinking I probably won’t go to the World Cup or even play football again,” said Raso, who has been selected for a third World Cup.
“I basically couldn’t do anything and I had to take it one step at a time, learning the small things like how to walk again.”
Australia, who are co-hosting the World Cup with New Zealand, kick off their Group B campaign on July 20 against Ireland in Sydney before playing Nigeria and Canada.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
