SYDNEY,Feb 12 (V7N) – Sam Kerr's legacy as one of football's greatest has taken a hit after a drunken night in London cast a shadow over her otherwise stellar career. The Chelsea striker apologized publicly on Tuesday, despite being found not guilty of racially aggravated abuse toward a police officer.

The 31-year-old Australian star was recorded calling the officer "stupid and white", but insisted she never meant it as a racial insult. The judge acknowledged her own behavior contributed to the case being brought against her. In a statement, Kerr admitted to "expressing myself poorly on what was a traumatic evening."

The fallout has sparked a heated debate over her future as Matildas captain, with critics calling for her to be stripped of the role. The Australian Financial Review noted the public has "shrinking tolerance for entitled or idiotic athletes behaving badly." The Australian broadsheet went further, insisting that "if a male captain had done this, they would have been stood down immediately."

Kerr, sidelined for over a year due to an ACL injury, has Football Australia’s support but no guarantees about keeping the armband. The federation said it "will reflect with Sam on learnings from this matter." Interim coach Tom Sermanni expects her to return for April's clash against South Korea.

A national icon, Kerr made her Australia debut at just 15 and became the country’s all-time top scorer with 69 goals in 128 games. She led Chelsea to multiple trophies and was the face of the 2023 Women's World Cup, elevating the Matildas to global prominence.

Beyond the pitch, Kerr has been a powerful advocate for women’s sport, driving pay reforms and minimum wage standards in Australian football. Named "Young Australian of the Year" in 2018, she was widely praised for her professionalism and leadership—qualities now under scrutiny.

Despite the controversy, Kerr remains one of the sport’s most decorated and influential figures. Whether this incident dents her legacy long-term or proves a momentary setback remains to be seen.

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