Sam Kerr has reached another milestone in his illustrious career by getting his own signature boots.
The Chelsea and Australia forward has teamed up with Nike to launch her first Mercurial Superfly Player Edition, a design that pays tribute to her home country, her career and one of her biggest sporting idols.
The boots arrive on a base of light sand, a nod to the beaches of Australia, with flashes of teal, pink and orange running through them to reflect the ocean, sunsets and rocky landscapes.
“The colors of the boot are what I think of when I think of home: the ocean and the Perth sunsets,” Kerr explained. “It’s a reminder of where I come from.”
There are personal touches scattered throughout the design, including his signature “Consistent” mantra etched across the top in tattoo-like lettering and subtle references to his playing style (“Forever Forward”) and his roots in Western Australia (“Perth Swagger”).
Perhaps the most striking detail is the bold stripe that cuts across the toe of the boot, inspired by Cathy Freeman’s unforgettable gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. At the top of the stripe, there is a small tribute to Freeman’s victory – a nod to an athlete Kerr has cited for a long time as one of his heroes.
His signature is stamped on the heel to complete the design, giving each pair the feel of being personally signed.
Nike is also releasing a larger collection to match the boot. A Field General sneaker echoes the same color palette and includes Kerr’s personal messages sewn onto the tongue and upper, while an oversized fleece hoodie comes in teal and features phrases related to her career: “Be Who I Am, Be Who You Are,” “Golden in 2017,” “You Just Never Know” and “Me vs The World.”
For a player who has been at the top of the women’s game for over a decade, it feels like it’s about time. But with a design so personal, vibrant and symbolic, it’s clear that the wait has only made the end result that much sweeter.
