Matildas superstar Sam Kerr has opened up on her “lonely” rehabilitation as she prepares to make her long-awaited return to the field.

Kerr hasn’t played a single minute of football since suffering an ACL injury in January 2024.

Matildas coach Joe Montemurro recently revealed the 31-year-old suffered further damage during her rehab that required a second bout of surgery.

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Kerr is back in full training as she closes in on a return to competitive action.

The new Super League season begins in early September and it remains to be seen if Kerr will feature in the early games.

During her lengthy break from football, Kerr and partner Kristie Mewis became parents to son Jagger in May.

She was also found not guilty of racially aggravated assault of a police officer in a highly publicised case.

In a rare interview, Kerr said it’s nice to be back with teammates after a tough rehab.

“During an injury, you’re alone a lot,” Kerr told Chelsea’s media team from their training camp in the Netherlands.

“So it’s good to be back with the girls, just doing the same training sessions as them rather than solitary rehab sessions. Being in camp like this helps you get to know all the new faces.

“It’s nice to be back with the girls, back on the pitch, and yeah, I’m excited. I’m most looking forward to being out there, scoring goals and having fun. Getting back to normal and being with the team is great, too.

“It’s nice to get away with the girls and spend more time together. For me, I’ve loved getting some nice weather. I know it’s been nice in London, but I just love the sun, so I want to train in the sun and the heat, and to spend time with the new staff and the new players.”

Despite her injury-enforced layoff, Kerr has lefty goals for when she returns to the field.

The superstar striker is a two-time golden boot winner, having scored 21 and 20 in back-to-back campaigns in the early 2020s.

“My contribution is goals; it’s as simple as that,” she said.

“For the last, however many years, I’ve been within the top goalscorers, if not the top goalscorer in the team, and that’s where I want to come back to, I’ve got high expectations of myself.

“I have a lot of confidence in my ability, so the contribution for me is straightforward. It’s goals. That’s what I’m here to do, and that’s what I normally do, so there’s no reason why I can’t do it again.”

Kerr will also have a familiar face at Chelsea with Matildas teammate Ellie Carpenter joining the team in the off-season.

“It’s good to have a familiar face,” she said of her new teammats.

“I’ve felt at home at Chelsea regardless of whether there was another Aussie here or not, but it’s nice to have someone to chat to about things from home that maybe the other girls would have no idea about. She’s a great player and a great athlete.

“Chelsea’s about winning, so I think everything we do here is about winning - from the standards at the training ground to what we do on the pitch. When you come to a club like Chelsea, sometimes that can be a culture shock.

“With new players, it’s just about guiding them, but honestly, when I came here, I enjoyed it straight away because people just made me feel welcome and comfortable. With my personality and who I am as a leader, my role is to make the girls feel the same way and make sure they’re enjoying themselves.

“People can perform at their very best when they’re happy, comfortable and feel a part of the team.”