Why isn’t Australian soccer star Sam Kerr at the Summer Olympics? Here's the answer.

The Matildas' best player won't be with them when they take the pitch in Paris, France.

Australian striker Sam Kerr is one of the best and most electric soccer players on the planet. She stunned fans and captured the attention of crowds on a regular basis last summer at the World Cup, where the Matildas finished in fourth place.

Kerr is Australia’s all-time leading scorer with 63 goals, a runner-up for the Ballon d’Or Féminin in 2023, a two-time NWSL MVP, and a two-time winner of the FA Super League Golden Boot.

She helped Australia qualify for this summer’s Olympic Games by scoring five times in qualifying, but she won’t be with the Matildas when they take the field in Paris, France to begin group play.

That’s because Kerr hasn’t yet fully recovered from a knee injury she suffered while in training camp with her club team, Chelsea, back in January. The Australian national team officially ruled her out from Olympic competition in May with an ACL injury.

Kerr has played for Australia in four World Cups and two Olympics. It’s likely that the next time fans will see her on the international stage is in the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, where the talented forward will be 33 years old.

Unfortunately, Kerr’s fiancé Kristie Mewis didn’t make the U.S. roster for the Olympics either.